Some Body That I Used to Know
by Angelikah
Summary: When Caroline's ex comes to her saying he's been accused of murder, she's not surprised. That tends to happen when you're king of the criminal underworld, after all. That he didn't do it, though? Infinitely more interesting. Can she prove him innocent, at least of this crime, before it's too late? For Biana Delacroix.
1. Chapter 1

This fic was written for Biana Delacroix (aka hummingbirds-and-champagne on tumblr). She wrote one of my favorite fics ever Renegade Knights, which I highly recommend to anyone who likes Koroline friendship (or just excellent writing). This fic will be around five or six chapters and is mostly done.

Thank you so much to garglyswoof and chica-cherry-lola for help with this!

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"Got a minute, love?"

Caroline's head snapped up so fast that she almost expected it to crack, her eyes wide. She hadn't heard his voice in years, but she remembered it perfectly, the accent and slight growl making feelings stir inside of her that she'd been trying desperately to push away despite them surfacing constantly in her dreams.

He looked just the way she remembered, if not even more attractive. He had the same stubble and dimpled smile, but his hair was matted and sticking to his face, a smear of rusty red dark against his cheekbone.

"Whose blood is that?"

"That's your first question?" he asked, his eyebrows raising as he walked to her bookshelf, reaching to touch the small porcelain hummingbird ornament he'd bought for her their first Christmas together. She was out of her chair and at his side to slap his hand away, but not before he smeared the blood on his hand over the beak.

"Don't."

"Just admiring your interesting choice of decoration, sweetheart."

"Why are you here?" she asked flatly. "I thought I made it pretty obvious that I want nothing to do with you and your minions."

She half expected him to make a quip about her not being happy to see him, but his body tensed, his brow furrowing slightly as his shoulders dropped. "I need your help."

Only the countless nights spent teasing bits of his life from his lips let her hear the fragility under his words. Caroline's eyes widened, her lungs suddenly free of air. She gathered herself quickly, though, not wanting to give an inch. "Why would I help you?"

"The blood is Aurora's," he said, dodging her question by answering an earlier one, and she frowned.

Klaus had been briefly involved with Aurora de Martel after Caroline had left him (not that she'd kept tabs on him or anything), and she'd known it was destined to fail, especially since Aurora was the police chief's daughter and Klaus didn't seem particularly attached. If anything, he was just trying to piss off the entire police force by parading in front of them a free man as the crimes that were obviously linked back to him but unprovable piled up around them.

He did that sort of thing for funsies.

It made no sense for Klaus to kill her, though. Murder meant complications, tying loose ends, and he wouldn't be wandering around covered in blood if he'd planned it. Klaus wasn't the sort of criminal who made it easy for the authorities. Still, she felt like she had to check.

"What? You...Did you...?"

"Of course not. She wasn't exactly relevant in the long-term. We parted ways a year or so ago, and I'd honestly nearly forgotten about her," he said grumpily. "Unfortunately, I sincerely doubt the authorities will care. Once they find the body they'll just be happy to have something to pin on me."

"Klaus," Caroline groaned, not quite sure what she was scolding him for but keeping the tone anyway.

"It's such a perfect headline: _Suspected crime lord convicted for killing police chief's daughter_ ," he spat bitterly, ignoring that she'd spoken, and Caroline winced.

"I'm not sure if I can—"

"Of course you can," he said, though there was none of the playful baiting sparkle in his eyes that she was used to, only a pleading resignation. "Caroline..."

"My job is to expose crimes, not help cover them up," she said, her voice wavering.

It wasn't _strictly_ the case and he knew it. You couldn't be the best private investigator in New York—state, not city, thank you very much—without getting your hands a little dirty. Thorough, efficient, and a lawyer's best friend when they needed a little _extra_ for their case. Sure, she didn't go out of her way to help the 'bad guys', but occasionally someone would saunter into her office with a criminal defense case that they needed help with. Whether they suspected the client had skeletons in the closet they weren't sharing or that the prosecution's evidence might have some holes, she was always happy to help...for the right price.

Well, she gave Enzo and Bonnie BFF discounts, but it didn't have much of an effect on her bottom line.

Klaus gave her a long look, clearly aware that she was close to cracking. She looked away, knowing that if she met his eyes she'd be completely _screwed_.

"And you _will_ be exposing a crime. You'll be finding her killer."

As much as she hated to acknowledge it, he had a point, and she looked up to see a familiar dimpled grin he'd always worn when he sensed that she was about to give in to something he wanted.

"Fine. Now get that dumb smirk off your face and hold still while I get a towel. I'm not letting you smear blood all over my office."

"Yes ma'am."

"Don't," she hissed again as she walked out the door, already regretting agreeing to help.

All she had to do was keep her legs closed, her emotions concealed, and her brain functioning. Unfortunately, being in Klaus's presence was not conducive to any of those things, but hopefully he'd be too distracted by a possible murder charge to try to push her skirt up and take her over some dingy bar table while they were looking for evidence (not that she was speaking from experience or anything), or worm his way back into her heart.

Well, to be fair he'd never really _left_.

Sure, the dreams of his stubble against her inner thigh were frustrating, but worse were the vivid memories that occasionally cropped up when she least expected them. The ghost of his arms wrapped around her when they cuddled in bed, the scent of his cologne, the sound of his laugh. She'd jerked awake before with the answers to years-old flashcards from the memories of long nights he'd spent quizzing her for her tests on the tip of her tongue. No matter how hard she tried to shake him, she still craved everything about him, missed the easy way he made her feel safe and wanted with just a look.

She steeled herself as she walked back to her office with the first aid kit and a few damp dishtowels, and when she returned she saw that he'd peeled off his blood-stained shirt, the cloth a crumpled pile on her desk.

"You know that'll have to be disinfected, right?"

"Was I supposed to keep it on? That rather defeats the point of wiping the blood off, doesn't it?"

She swallowed as he stretched. Taking off the shirt left his torso clean, the dried brown smears creeping up from his wrists fading abruptly where the edges of his sleeves had been, and she had to resist the urge to grab his arm and gently clean it herself, the reaction still ingrained in her despite how long it had been since she'd done it. Instead, she held out the towels and averted her eyes as she opened the first aid kit to get some antibacterial wipes.

Hopefully the case would be over quickly.

"Now, sweetheart. It's nothing you haven't seen before."

"I've seen roadkill before. That doesn't mean I want to see it again," she muttered, putting on the latex gloves from the kit and picking up his bloody henley, stuffing it in the plastic bag from the take-out she'd bought for lunch and tying it tightly.

He chuckled, and she chanced a peek at him through long lashes, catching a glimpse of his lean muscled chest and a familiar tattoo before he caught her eye and gave her a dimpled grin, his eyes sparkling. "I've missed your sharp tongue, love."

"Are you hurt?" she asked, beginning to wipe the desk down, trying to rid the wood of any evidence.

"No," he said, cleaning his hands on the wet cloth. "Well, I was drugged, but no physical injuries."

Her eyebrows crept up to her hairline as she processed, her hand stopping in its movements. Klaus was notoriously paranoid and never ate anything unless he personally cooked it (a skill she'd greatly benefited from as a terrible cook herself). He was almost never taken by surprise, and though he'd always wanted her to stay the night when they weren't living together, it had been almost a year before she knew for sure that he slept while he held her. "You were _drugged_?"

"Yes. Someone in my inner circle, I suspect. There are any number of possibilities, but I wouldn't be surprised if one of them either defected to Silas's little ring of idiots or sold out to the police for witness protection. Not to worry, love. They'll be taken care of as soon as we unravel this little mystery, hmm?"

"Yeah," she muttered, her mind already racing with possibilities. "So you don't remember what happened?"

"Not after it took effect. I woke up in a hotel room with Aurora's bloody corpse on top of me and a knife on my bedside table that I suspect my killer made sure was covered by my fingerprints. I hung the do not disturb sign so that no one would find the crime scene for awhile, carried her out, dumped the body a few blocks away, and came straight here."

"Are you sure it wasn't something that made you do things after you blacked out?"

"I would know if I killed her, Caroline," Klaus said irritably. "And if I had, you must know me well enough to know that I would never have been stupid enough to leave evidence."

It was true and she knew it. There had been a reason Klaus had never been convicted despite his massive death count. He was an expert at leaving no trace of his involvement.

"Well let's take a vial of your blood first thing then and I'll ship it to the lab first thing tomorrow. Whatever it is will hopefully still be in your system," she said, trying to think of anything else they could do with the immediate evidence.

"Of course," he said. "Good thinking, love."

She nodded absently, still coming up with questions. "Why would anyone pick her to kill then? If you'd broken up?"

"Because the chief will try harder to find her and be more likely to push for a harsher punishment. It's personal."

"Okay, so what's your motive supposed to be?"

"I have no idea. Jilted lover or a message to the police force, I suppose," he said, and she had the distinct feeling there was something he wasn't telling her.

She turned to grab a recorder and blank tapes from her supply cabinet, hoping he hadn't read into her reactions too much. The last thing she needed was for him to think he had a chance. If he sensed any willingness to give in she had no doubt he'd pounce, and she wasn't sure she'd be able to resist if he did.

Being with Klaus was dangerous, not only because he was good with a gun and ruler of the city's seedy underbelly, but because he had enemies who were almost, if not just as capable, all of whom seemed to have an unnatural fondness for playing with their food and drawing out their victims' pain. They all hated Klaus, and she had narrowly avoided being collateral damage when they'd been together.

Still, she wasn't about to let him go to prison. While he definitely deserved it in the grand scheme of things, he didn't deserve to be pinned for a crime he didn't commit (though she could appreciate the irony). Even if she could stomach him going to prison, the criminals waiting with baited breath to see if they'd finally have their chance to take over were infinitely more dangerous for the city. Klaus was murderous and vengeful, definitely had a hand in every criminal operation in most of the city in some way or another no matter how heinous, but he was at least logical and rational. He knew that picking off innocent people for fun didn't have a purpose and would hurt him in the long run, generally kept his kills and schemes limited to people who provoked him, and was therefore by far the saner option.

Well, at least in her opinion.

So really, it wasn't for Klaus. It was for the good of everyone, and Klaus getting off the hook was just a natural side effect... No ulterior motive to be found.

Right? Right.

"I'll need you to tell me everything you can remember from tonight, and I do mean _everything_. The routes you drove or walked, places you went, people you talked to... you know the drill."

She glanced back at Klaus to see him nodding, and her tongue darted out to wet her lips before she could restrain herself at the easy way he was sitting back in the chair. The bloodstained jeans and leather necklaces shouldn't have been sexy, but somehow...

She shook herself, opening her file drawer a bit harder than necessary, a screeching _clack_ echoing in the room as she withdrew a blank manila folder and wrote ' _Douchebag Ex'_ in neat cursive on the tab.

"Well, I'm flattered, love. That's certainly a step up from manipulative murderous fian—"

"Tell me everything," she interrupted, turning on the recorder, refusing to let herself be baited into rehashing their break-up. She saw his lips curl into a smirk and inwardly kicked herself, belatedly realizing that he'd wanted to see whether she had any reaction at all.

 _And there was the opening she'd been trying so hard not to give him..._

He didn't comment though, instead launching into a detailed account of his day. He knew exactly what she was looking for—he'd spent enough time here while she ranted about unhelpful clients that expected her to solve cases with nothing to go on, after all—and she soon had a list of places he'd been and people he'd spoken to. Caroline peppered him with questions as they backed up to the last few weeks. Interviews took _forever_ , and the way she kept catching herself watching his lips as he talked made it feel like it was taking even longer.

When they were done, she shut off the recorder and stuck it in her locked file drawer, glancing up at Klaus as she closed it, suddenly not quite knowing what to say. "Do you want me to like, call you a cab or anything?"

"Do you normally take a cab back to your flat?"

"What?"

"Well I obviously can't stay at mine. Once the police find the body they'll be after me, and I don't know which of my men I can trust at the moment. I also think that taking a cab shirtless in blood-stained jeans might make me memorable, so I do hope I'm not intruding..." he looked at her with what could only be described as _puppy eyes_.

They held each other's stare for what felt like years before Caroline huffed, standing up and grabbing her purse, mentally thanking every deity that her office didn't have security cameras. "Fine," she muttered. "But you stay on the couch and I'm not going to cook for you. Got it?"

"It's a pity. I've been craving burnt lasagna," he drawled.

"I hope Tyler tries to eat you."

"He always liked me," Klaus said, sounding genuinely offended.

"He probably won't remember you, and he usually doesn't like people who aren't me."

"Ah, yes. Like that Stefan bloke."

"How do you know about Stefan?" Caroline asked slowly.

"How do you know about Aurora?" he asked with a flash of a smirk, and she flushed slightly.

"Because I go to the police station every other day and her dad is a whiner."

"Ah, well I just stalked you the old-fashioned way. I was worried you'd get tangled with the wrong sort."

"You are the 'wrong sort'," she said, mimicking his accent horribly, and he gave her a small smile that made her insides twist.

"But I was never dangerous to you, sweetheart."

She felt her heart soften in spite of her best efforts, the way he was looking at her making her breath catch, and she _hated_ how easily he could get to her.

"Whatever," she muttered, walking towards her office door.

"You forgot to finish disinfecting your desk, love."

She resisted the urge to pitch her stapler at his head as she stalked back, stuffing the wipes in the plastic bag with his shirt and re-tying the top so that she could keep it away from anything that might interfere with possible evidence it when she got home.

What an ass.

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Thank you so much for reading! What do you think so far? Any favorite lines? Any predictions? Let me know in a review! It's the only way I know what you guys think ;)

Hugs!


	2. Chapter 2

Thank you to garglyswoof and chica-cherry-lola for help! For Biana Delacroix (hummingbirds-and-champagne on tumblr). This hints at the retelling of the *iconic* Logan/Veronica scene later ;) But first this, and next chapter the flashback to the meet-(un)cute!

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She woke to a scent that made her mouth water, and the sound of a popping sizzle in a pan, her first thought that Klaus must be cooking breakfast, followed by the realization that Klaus was in her kitchen, and she resisted the urge to shove a pillow over her head to suppress the scent of deliciousness wafting through her apartment.

He knew her favorites, had literally gone to her mother's house without telling her before her birthday their second year together to ask for Grandma Forbes's apple dutch baby recipe and had learned to make them. It had been romantic at the time, but she knew that he had done it with the full intention to whip them out as a manipulation tactic when he needed them. Those satanic buttery baked goods were going to be her downfall yet again.

She could practically taste them melting on her tongue with real maple syrup...

And was that bacon?

She inhaled. Yes, it was bacon.

She tried her best not to give in, but visions of all her favorite breakfast foods cooked to perfection floated through her mind on repeat, and after the second growl of her stomach she succumbed to temptation, throwing off the covers and yawning as she pulled herself out of bed. The scene she was greeted with in the kitchen was achingly familiar. Klaus barefoot and shirtless, tattoo dark and sharply lined against his skin, the cheap drugstore sweatpants she'd ran out to get the night before sitting low on his hips. His hair was mussed from sleep, and she longed to run her fingers through it, resisted the urge to walk up behind him and press a soft kiss to his shoulder and bury her face in his neck, her arms wrapped around his waist. Tyler sat right next to him, tail thumping against the floor as he watched Klaus's hands closely, clearly trying to figure out if he would drop any food.

"Good morning, sweetheart."

She hummed, heading straight for the coffee, fighting down a smile when she saw a pot had already been started, a mug set out for her with a small scoop of hot chocolate powder and cream already mixed inside.

"Thanks," she said, pouring the coffee and taking a sip as she turned to watch him flip the bacon in the pan, his forearms more than a little distracting, long artist fingers wrapped around the handle of the spatula in a way that was inexplicably sexy. She wasn't sure whether it had been way too long since she'd had sex or if Klaus would just always have this effect on her.

"You're welcome," he said quietly, and she didn't miss the glance he sent her that contained way too much genuine fondness for her comfort.

She cleared her throat, taking the plate he offered her and cutting herself a bite of the apple dutch baby, dragging it through the syrup and chewing, mostly to avoid having to make conversation.

"Caroline, I..." he began, trailing off when she looked up from her plate.

"What?"

"Thank you," he said simply, the warmth in his gaze making her breath hitch.

"I can't let you go to jail for something you didn't do, Klaus," she said quietly, looking back down at her plate when she saw a genuine, pleased smile grow on his face.

"So you don't hate me, then."

She debated her response for a second, taking a sip of her coffee and trying to decide whether to deflect with humor or open up. She glanced at him and bit her lip as she watched him drink her in, and the knowing glint in his eye that still somehow looked hopeful, like his entire world hinged on her admitting that she didn't loathe him as much as she pretended to, made her insides twist.

"Depends, will you let me have the last piece of bacon?"

She was a coward.

"Of course," he murmured, though he didn't sound irritated at the way she dodged his question. His brow was furrowed and he gave her the familiar look of a person that couldn't quite figure out a riddle whose answer they knew was staring them in the face. "Finish up quickly though, sweetheart. We have lots of work to do to prove that I'm not a murderer."

"You are a murderer."

"Innocent until proven guilty, love," he said, giving her a teasing grin. "And to be fair, I didn't murder her."

"Yeah. Gold star," Caroline muttered, stabbing a piece of caramelized apple with her fork, but Klaus didn't seem bothered, taking a bite of toast with his eyes still trained on her face. "Can you stop staring at me while I eat? It's creepy."

"Sorry, love," he said, putting his hands up in surrender and ducking his head with a grin, dimples cutting into his cheeks. "You've just got..." he motioned at his face and she rolled her eyes, wiping her cheek with the back of her hand.

"Did I get it?"

He reached out and brushed his thumb across her jaw, the touch light but still sending shivers down her spine, and brought the smudge of syrup she hadn't noticed to his lips, sucking it off his finger. The moment was so cliché and she'd rolled her eyes at it a hundred times while she watched movies snuggled against his side, but she suddenly understood why it was a thing.

His tongue darted across his fingertip and her breath stalled in her lungs before she swallowed and looked down at her plate. She heard a soft whine from under the table and felt Tyler's cold nose as he bumped against her bare knee, hoping for a treat. It broke the moment nicely, but Klaus still studied her, his eyes tracking her every movement.

"I'm going to take your blood samples to the lab and see if Elena can run them for me," she said, putting her fork down and getting up from the table. "You can wait here. I'm also going to run to the store to get you some clothes that aren't sweatpants."

"Why? It's not as though I can go anywhere. I'm a wanted man, in case you'd forgotten."

"You still need actual clothes."

If only for her sanity.

"If you say so," he drawled, eyes sparkling as though he knew exactly what she was thinking. She cleared her throat.

"While I'm doing that, you should call whoever you have on the police force—Klaus, don't even try to pretend you don't have someone—and get them to send over any files they have on the investigation. I'm sure they found her body by now, so they're probably interviewing people already. We'll look at the notes and try to get a few ideas."

"Sounds like a plan, sweetheart."

She nodded, trying to calm her racing heart, and she could feel his eyes on her as she fled the room. He seemed so calm, so unbothered. Was it because he could tell that she was close to cracking?

It was scary that despite everything—the amount of time since she'd seen him, the terrible things he'd done—that her feelings for him hadn't changed.

 **XXX**

Caroline watched with some trepidation as Elena inspected the test results on the sheet. Though her friend was able to rush things through the medical lab it was still a process that took time. "This isn't your blood, right?" Elena asked, frowning.

"No. It's for a friend," Caroline said evasively. "But they think they were drugged."

"Well, they were," Elena said, her voice surprisingly gentle. "Rohypnol. Do they need some sort of referral?"

"No. They weren't on a date. Some sort of hazing prank," Caroline invented, and Elena raised an eyebrow.

"That's a pretty serious prank. Roofies are illegal here, and for good reason. Besides the obvious, it's really easy to overdose."

"He'll be fine," Caroline said. "We just wanted to make sure-"

"He? It isn't Jeremy, is it?" Elena asked. "Did he use it recreationally and go to you so that he wouldn't have to talk to me? I know that I've been hard on him, but-"

"No. It wasn't Jeremy," Caroline said, quick to reassure her friend. "It's...no one you know."

Elena gave her a suspicious look but nodded, writing down a few notes on a pad of paper. "Do you need me to start a file for anyone or is this off the record?"

"Off the record. Very off the record."

"Got it," Elena said with a nod, tearing off the paper she'd been writing on and handing it over. "Well, I hope whoever it is feels better. Keep an eye on him and don't let him drink any alcohol. It should be mostly out of his system by now, but you can't be too careful."

"Thanks 'Lena," Caroline said, giving her friend a tight hug. "I have to head back. Love you!"

"Love you too!"

Caroline hurried out of the hospital and back to her car, checking the time on her phone. She'd only been gone about two and a half hours, enough time that Klaus had probably gotten ahold of his contact in the police force, but she doubted he had everything they needed yet.

The mall was on the way back, and she knew that it shouldn't feel so natural to wander into one of the more casual stores to shop for Klaus. She picked out a few henleys quickly, naturally gravitating toward the darker colors, and it only took her a few minutes to find the jeans he liked in his size. It wasn't until she was halfway to her car that she realized how easy it would be to just walk in, drop the bags and fall into his arms the way she had so many times before she'd walked out.

She tried to put it out of her mind, the urge to give into old habits, and she couldn't meet his eyes when she walked through the door and shoved the shopping bags into his hands.

"I have everything they've found so far," Klaus said, setting the bags down without opening them. "Should be easy to make the charts you're so fond of."

"They're helpful," she said defensively. "It makes it easier to keep track."

"I don't doubt it," he said with a grin. "Now, shall we get to work?"

Two hours later they were still trying to find the people that fell in the overlap between Silas's underlings and the people who didn't have alibis (or whose alibis involved someone working for Silas).

"Brady?" Caroline listed, and Klaus searched through the data that they'd compiled from his minion's decidedly illegal remote exploration of the local police station's records.

"No. His credit card puts him across town, and there's matching footage on a traffic camera to back it up."

Caroline nodded, drawing a line through the "killer" box but keeping the "accomplice" column open and moving down to the next. "Tristan?"

"Not a chance."

"Based on?" she prompted, taking a sip of coffee and glancing at him as he twirled his pen between long fingers.

"His and Aurora's oddly incestuous relationship."

"Hey, lovers kill each other all the time," Caroline said, really only half-joking (Klaus wasn't wrong about the siblings' weird closeness, not that he had any room to talk since she'd thought Rebekah was his weirdly affectionate ex-girlfriend the first time they met). She paused, chewing thoughtfully on a carrot from the cheap appetizer plate she'd picked up at the store on the way back from the mall.

"He was at work."

"Okay. What about Camille O'Connell?"

"She's certainly not the killer, though I would buy that she's someone's alibi."

"Why not?"

"Too incompetent."

"Hey! I thought you learned your lesson about underestimating people."

"Yes, yes, you showed me," Klaus said dryly, rolling his eyes. "Will you ever let me forget?"

"Nope," she said cheerfully. "My memory of your face when I kicked your ass in that poker game is too sweet."

He snorted, not answering, and she grinned at his playful glare before abruptly letting her smile drop, having forgotten that she wasn't supposed to be having fun. His mouth set in a firm line as he watched her deflate, clearly having felt the mood shift in the room, and she cleared her throat, moving down the list. "Davina Claire?"

"Her alibi checked out, love. Remember?"

"Yeah, but it's better to be thorough. We should always have the information down on exactly what the alibi was in case it comes up again later. You know that."

"Sex with my brother," he said dryly.

"What a downgrade," Caroline muttered, and Klaus snorted.

"You didn't honestly think he'd wait on your friend forever, did you love?"

"I maintain that if he hadn't been such a dick about Enzo hanging out with 'He Who Is Too Irrelevant to Acknowledge'—"

"Damon Salvatore is a prick, and that's putting it kindly."

"Which is why Kol being a jealous ass is so ridiculous," Caroline shot back. "Although I guess it runs in the family."

"It's been three years, Caroline," Klaus said, dropping his pen back down on the table. "And you left shortly afterwards, so I don't see how it's relevant."

His voice was icy and she flinched, unable to suppress the admittedly unjustified hurt that twisted in her stomach at his words. She had broken up with him, but now that she was face-to-face with him again it was hard to remember why.

It might have had something to do with her unwanted insecurities mixed with a healthy sense of self-preservation. She'd never quite been able to suppress the tiny voice in her head that insisted that he would eventually be tired of her or move on, and then he would get rid of her because she knew too much. It was becoming more clear from every word he spoke, every carefully cloaked expression on his face, that she'd been wrong.

It wasn't a good feeling.

"Whatever," she muttered, aggressively slashing through Davina's entire row. "Matt Donovan?"

"I think we should take a break," Klaus said, ignoring her question and standing up. He stretched, the muscles of his abdomen going taut, and she looked away quickly, her mouth suddenly dry as she remembered the way they tasted on her tongue.

Not the time, Caroline.

"We don't have time for a break unless you want to go to prison."

"I'm not going to go to prison," he said, his eyes rolling in a way that she knew he'd picked up from her when they were dating.

"You don't know that. Look, we just need a faster way to narrow down our options. I know that they probably haven't traced Aurora's death back to the hotel yet. Maybe we could ask the receptionist who rented out the room. I mean, you obviously didn't do it."

"And how are we going to do that, love? Ask the receptionist nicely for all of the names of the people staying there?"

She shot him a glare at his dry tone. "No. We just need to find a way to get her to tell us about that room."

"We don't even know what room it was in."

"You seriously can't remember anything? I find that a little hard to believe."

"I was drugged, Caroline. More than a little out of touch with reality when I woke," he said grumpily. "I do remember that it was one of the suites, at least."

"So we'd have to find which one."

"Yes, which might be a struggle since we can't get to them without a keycard."

"I have an idea."

"What?" he asked, watching as she pushed herself away from the table.

She didn't answer, instead walking to the closet in her bedroom and opening it. She had to move a few boxes before she found the one she'd sealed years ago. It held keepsakes from her relationship with Klaus. The henley she'd slept in the night before she'd left, a few presents he'd given her, some sketches... Going through them had been painful, and she'd always intended to donate the things she could and throw the rest out, but something had made her hesitate to go through with it.

She bent over the box, hearing the soft pad of Klaus's feet on the carpet behind her, and felt his eyes on her as she straightened with a leather-bound scrapbook in her hands.

"You still have that?" he asked, his lips twitching in amusement, though she heard the tinge of hope behind the words.

"Of course," she said, as if it was the most natural thing in the world to keep their wedding planning scrapbook (she hadn't gone crazy, but it was nice to have her ideas in one place with pictures for reference), though she didn't meet his eyes. "What better way to get tours of the honeymoon suite than to be planning a honeymoon?"

"I'm coming with you?"

"Duh. Unless you want me to call up Enzo and explain to him why I have to make him play the part of my fiancé so I can help get my mafia leader ex-fiancé off for murder."

"I'll just get changed, shall I?"

She nodded absently as she flipped through the book, suddenly feeling a bit wistful, and set it aside to comb through the old mementos again, pulling a small jewelry box out from the very bottom where her old engagement ring rested. He'd had it custom-made, and she'd never had the heart to sell it.

It still fit perfectly, and when Klaus cleared his throat from behind her, she put the box back on top of the rest of the keepsakes and turned around, twisting the ring around her finger.

His eyes darted down to her hand, a flash of surprise lighting his face before he made eye contact again. He didn't comment, instead clearing his throat again. "Ah...shall we go, then?"

She swallowed. "Yeah."

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I hope you guys enjoyed this! Please tell me what you think or I won't know, and feedback really helps me get better and motivates me to create more content!


	3. Chapter 3

Here is the first flashback. I hope you all enjoy it! Thank you to garglyswoof and chica-cherry-lola for your fabulous beta skills and to Melissa for the inspiration for this scene (which became the basis for the whole fic).

FFnet is being weird about alerts, so I hope you guys get the emails for this lol

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 **Six years ago...**

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Caroline sipped her drink slowly as she half-listened to Elena and Bonnie's conversation, her eyes scanning the room to make sure that Vicki and Katherine weren't getting into any trouble. Drinking and gambling were never a good combination, but it was Vicki's bachelorette party and she'd asked Caroline to organize a trip to Vegas for some good old-fashioned poor decision-making.

They hadn't ended up going to Vegas since there were less tacky and much closer gambling dens in New York, but details.

She'd asked around to find one that didn't seem too seedy, and Steven, her dad's poker-enthusiast partner, suggested this one. It was a little small and had been described by him as a family-owned place with a large group of regulars. He'd told her that it would be perfect and she hadn't been disappointed when she and her friends arrived. It was clean and brightly lit, the workers professional and the alcohol top-notch. Sure, she had to keep an eye on the twins to make sure they didn't drink enough vodka to gamble away their trust funds (or in Vicki's case, her future husband's), but that's what the designated Mom Friend was for. It's not like she could drink anyway. She had a nine o'clock class on Monday and had been hoping to get some studying in during the few spare moments they had. Vicki had managed to plan her wedding so that the bachelorette party fell right before a big test in Caroline's Public Policy class. If Katherine hadn't pried her notes out of her hands she'd be studying at the bar with half an eye on her friends.

"Caroline, come play! I want to watch you kick ass!" Katherine shouted, and Caroline grimaced.

Card counting had been how Steven had attempted to 'bond' with her when her dad had first introduced them. She had been fascinated by the subtlety of it, and it was so ingrained now that it was almost impossible for her to remember not to do it. Plus, even if she could stop herself, she liked winning. A lot.

Maybe they wouldn't notice her card counting if it was only a few rounds?

She grabbed her purse and told Elena and Bonnie she was going to the blackjack table, the girls waving her off with a smile. She slid into the seat next to Katherine and watched carefully as the dealer shuffled before flipping the cards in front of them. She couldn't stop herself from adding the points every round, and she _tried_ to be subtle...

Half an hour later she was smirking as she stacked her growing pile of chips by her elbow. Katherine and Vicki had wandered off to the Texas Hold 'Em game a few yards away, and she was weighing whether to push her luck or cash out while she had the chance. She was pulled from her dilemma by a soft, accented voice behind her.

"Hello, love."

Caroline looked up to see a blonde with a stubbled smirk leaning back against the table next to her. He had a small glass of what looked like whiskey, his eyes sharp despite his relaxed stance, and she wondered momentarily if she was in trouble.

His lean form didn't exactly scream "security" though, and she inwardly facepalmed as his eyes dragged up and down her body. She was being silly. Probably just some guy looking for a tipsy girl to go home with.

"Hi," she said slowly. Would Vicki kill her for ditching the bachelorette party or ask for all the dirty details?

Honestly it was probably a 50/50 shot.

He grinned as though he knew what she was thinking.

"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Klaus. Klaus Mikaelson."

From the expectant way he was looking at her it was clearly supposed to mean something to her, but the name wasn't ringing a bell.

"I'm Candice," she said with a smile, defaulting to her 'I'll sleep with you but let's not be Facebook friends' name, and he grinned.

"Now Caroline, let's not lie, hmm?"

"How do you know my name?" she asked, her hands going for her trenchcoat to check that her phone and wallet were still in place, and his eyes tracked the movement of her hand to her pocket before he relaxed and met her eyes again.

"My barman saw your ID when you got a drink, love."

 _His_ barman? She froze, her eyes widening. She'd definitely been busted and she knew it, and his smile was all teeth as he took in her reaction.

"Okay, you got me," she said with a winning smile putting her hands up in surrender. "So you own this place, huh?"

"Yes, and I have a proposition for you," he said.

"Not even a terrible pick-up line? Seriously?" she joked, hoping to defuse the tension.

"I was actually referring to you counting cards in my casino, though I must admit you are quite lovely."

"Counting cards?" she asked with her best innocent frown, letting her teeth worry her lower lip for a moment before continuing. "Why would I do that? Isn't it, like, heavily frowned upon or whatever?"

"Well, and now we're back to my proposition," he said lightly. "As I do with everyone who thinks they're clever enough not to get caught counting cards, I'll give you a choice. Come to the back room with me and we'll play cards. Win and you can turn in your chips for your payment. Lose... Well, let's just say you won't be visiting any casino on the eastern seaboard for the rest of your life."

She bristled. _Clever enough not to get caught?_ Seriously?!

To be fair, she _had_ gotten caught, but still. What an ass.

"That's harsh."

He shrugged, still looking at her expectantly.

"And if I don't want to play?"

"Well, I'd consider that a forfeit, I suppose. In other words: a loss. And you don't strike me as the type who likes to lose."

God, was her complete inability to turn down a challenge that obvious?

"What game?" she ground out.

"Guest's choice. From a few options, of course. _Not_ including blackjack."

She knew how to play poker, but she wasn't nearly as good at it as blackjack. You could predict probability, sure, but poker was more a science of observation and reading people accurately. While she could handle that part, she was terrible at keeping a straight face. She'd also never played with someone who wasn't one of her friends or family, let alone some stranger who owned their own casino. He probably had tons of experience.

It was more than a little daunting, but Caroline was never one to back down from a challenge, and mathematically "it would take a miracle to win" was still a better chance than not trying at all.

"Texas Hold 'Em?"

"As the lady wishes. I'll have someone gather your chips and bring them to the back, shall I?"

"Okay," she said. "Let me just tell my friend."

He nodded and she could feel his eyes on her as she poked Elena on the shoulder and told her that she was going in the back room with the owner, pointing Klaus out.

"Get caught?" Elena whispered, shooting her a sympathetic look when she nodded. "We'll wait."

Going into the back room alone with a guy who supposedly owned the establishment and was looking at her like wanted to eat her screamed 'bad idea'. She wasn't sure whether it was brave or stupid, but she could never back down from a challenge. He'd thrown down the gauntlet, and she was ready to take him on.

She let him lead her to the back room with his palm pressed against the small of her back, the movement much too intimate for strangers but somehow oddly natural.

It was warm in the back room, and she shed her trenchcoat, wrapping it around the back of a chair and sitting down. She could be calm about this. Focused.

He was staring at her, his gaze piercing and uncomfortably raw, and she met his eyes, the undefinable charge between them making her skin prickle. His eyes greedily watched every movement she made as though he were cataloguing them, looking for any slip or change of expression. She watched as one of the bouncers in a suit brought over a small tub containing her chips, setting them down on the table and counting them out for her before bringing Klaus the same number.

"Deal," he ordered the bouncer, not even taking his eyes off of her face as he spoke. She held his gaze determinedly, staring him down, refusing to blink. She could hear the sound of the cards shuffling beside her but refused to look down as she saw their hands being dealt out of the corner of her eye. The casino owner seemed to be as determined to win the staring contest as she was. It got more uncomfortable as they continued, his eyes growing heated, and she knew a flush was creeping into her cheeks.

Her eyes were prickling with the effort, and she couldn't help but wonder how he was making it look so easy.

She blinked. He smirked.

Throwing her hair over her shoulder in what she hoped seemed like a natural movement, she picked up her cards, trying to look like she wasn't flustered, and only _just_ managed to keep her face straight when she saw her hand. Two of spades and six of diamonds. In other words, not a great start.

There were two strategies here: actually play and consider her betting choices (and probably lose) or make him underestimate her and hope for good luck near the end, so she could goad him into shoving all his chips in the middle and cross her fingers.

The second seemed like a better option, honestly. She knew that it would be difficult to win the normal way, so she just had to spend the first few hands being easy to read.

"Any chance we could do a few practice rounds?" she asked with a flirty smile, batting her eyelashes in a way that made her feel a bit silly.

"No," he said quietly, his face blank. "I'll bet two."

The hands were slow to start out with, Caroline betting amounts that directly correlated to how good her hand was and not bluffing once. Their eyes kept meeting as they stole glances, and though she knew they were sizing each other up, she couldn't help but admire the hint of dimple that flashed when he caught her eye, the curve of his lips...

She stayed in by strategically folding, their piles of chips staying relatively unchanged by the careful bets, and it was clear that Klaus was getting impatient.

"You look annoyed," she said casually when she won a round, counting the tiny pile of chips and sliding them towards her.

"Bored," he said simply. "You're being rather conservative with your betting and its getting old."

"I don't want to lose," she said with a shrug.

"Where's the fun without a little risk?"

She eyed him, resisting the urge to point out that this wasn't supposed to be fun. She was literally gambling for the ability to walk into any other casino again. "It'll be fun when I win."

"Oh?" he asked, an eyebrow raised. "You think you'll win?"

"Yes," she said, trying to portray complete confidence.

Hopefully he'd take it as _over_ confidence. They kept playing, Caroline biting her lower lip whenever she saw his eyes wander, trying her best to distract him from the task at hand. "Does this happen often?"

"Does what happen, love?"

"Catching people counting cards in your casino."

"My regulars know better, so generally my staff only watch out for people we've never seen before," he said absently, glancing down at the board before sliding in four chips. She matched it, watching his face carefully, trying to find any kind of hint of what he might be up to. She was also searching for something to talk about. She didn't like silence and the tension between them was starting to get to her.

"Do you offer them the same deal?"

"In some form. It depends on how they react, honestly. I don't tolerate rudeness in my casino, you see."

"Right," she said slowly.

"And I admit I am swayed a bit more easily by pretty things with sharp tongues."

She bristled. "I'm not a thing."

"My apologies," he said, his eyes sparkling, and she kind of wanted to punch him. He was clearly toying with her, had probably decided that she counted cards as a cool party trick and was otherwise unremarkable, and it was _deeply_ annoying.

Still, it could work to her advantage. If she could just convince him that he had a chance (he was a creep, so no matter how attractive he was he had a snowball's chance in hell), he might fall into her trap. Get overconfident and make dumb mistakes.

"Do you get new people in a lot then?"

"It's mostly regulars and their occasional guest. Sometimes people find us online, but we generally do our best to remain a secret gem for those 'in the know'," he said, smiling as though he'd made a joke he didn't think she understood.

"Okay," she muttered, nodding to the dealer, who obligingly began to shuffle.

"I'm more curious about you, I think," Klaus said. "Tell me about you."

"Why do you want to know?"

"Would you believe me if I said I was interested?"

She snorted. "Interested in getting into my pants, maybe."

"Perhaps another time."

"Another time?" she asked raising an eyebrow. "What makes you think I'd want to come back here? You haven't exactly been welcoming."

They both picked up their hands and Caroline bit her lip. "I'll bet eight," she said.

"That's a change, love."

"Maybe I want to take a risk."

His eyes darkened at the words, and _god_ this was almost too easy. "A risk?" he asked as he slid in his chips, matching her bet.

"Maybe..."

They played the round and he won, but he didn't reach to draw in the chips. "Are you going to answer my question?"

"What question?"

"Tell me about yourself."

"That's not a question."

"A request, then."

She eyed him, trying to decide how to respond, and as they were dealt another hand, she nodded slowly, wary of the hungry look in Klaus's eyes. "Fine. What do you want to know?"

It ended up being surprisingly easy to carry on a conversation with him, the banter flowing naturally. She liked his laugh, the way his cheeks dimpled when she surprised a genuine smile out of him. He always seemed to have all of his attention fixed on her when she was talking, asked questions that made it clear he was _really_ listening.

Her mother had always said there was nothing more attractive than a man who listened, and she found herself reluctantly agreeing.

She lost count of the hands they played as her pile of chips grew steadily larger. She hadn't realized how natural it felt to just _be_ with this complete stranger until she found herself doing a tiny happy dance in her seat and reaching for the substantial pot in the middle. "I win."

"Indeed you did. For now."

"This is more fun than I thought it would be," she said brightly, and the dealer shuffled again.

"Wait," Klaus said as she reached for her new cards, and she hesitated.

"Yeah?"

"Perhaps it's time to make another little wager, hmm? Make it a bit more interesting?"

"What did you have in mind?"

"I've changed my mind about the nature of my game proposition, though to be clear, I will take a no on this particular offer much more gracefully. I do like the companions who share my bed to be willing, after all."

She scoffed. "I'm not having sex with you in exchange for not getting banned from every casino on the east coast."

His lips twitched. "Ah, you misunderstand. My intent was to offer a good old-fashioned game of... I believe it's referred to as 'strip poker', though that's a bit too crude a label for my tastes."

"Terms?" she asked before she could filter, feeling the flush creep into her cheeks at the shit-eating grin on his face at her slip.

"No bets under ten. Each round is best of five. If you win the round you can choose to take the pot or a clothing item of the loser's choice. Do we have a deal, love?"

She considered it, knowing that her original plan would be a lot easier to pull off with less clothing, but she needed a few limits.

"My bra and panties stay on. So do...whatever you're wearing."

His lips twitched. "Boxer briefs."

"Yeah. Those. Also, this isn't me saying I'll have sex with you at the end. Stripping only."

"Subject to change?" he asked, flashing her a dimpled grin.

"If you're good at convincing me," she said with a quick up-and-down glance, her tone loaded with innuendo.

"I will."

"Someone's confident."

"I want you," he said, the words plain but loaded with meaning, a reluctant heat unfurling in her lower belly, breath catching in her throat.

He'd been playful so far, but there was something that made her pause when he watched her reach for her hand. "Maddox, leave us," he said, his tone quiet, dangerous in a way that shouldn't have made her nipples pebble against her bra, her cheeks heating.

"Yes, sir," the dealer muttered, glancing at Caroline with something like...dread?

She was distracted by Klaus picking up the cards, shuffling them expertly before observing her with heated, wanting eyes.

"Five Card Draw, then?"

She nodded, oddly fascinated by the way his fingers moved when he dealt. It quickly became clear that Klaus was not fucking around anymore, his betting strategy changing enough to throw her off, and she soon found herself standing up and walking to him, turning around and lifting her hair out of the way.

"Unzip me?"

His fingertips brushed lightly against the back of her neck in a way she'd never realized could be sexy, and his knuckle dragged down the line of her spine as he pulled the zipper down. She turned to face him as she wriggled out of the tight fabric, fighting down a smug grin at the way he was _looking_ at her, and sank back down in her chair, bending forward a bit to gather her cards. "My deal."

She would probably be eternally confused by the attraction men had to breasts, but she couldn't deny that it was helpful at the moment. And okay, maybe she liked the attention, had warmed up to the creepy casino owner just a little, but her plan remained unchanged.

She would kick his ass.

It wasn't exactly a hardship to play up her attraction to him, and by hand five of the round he didn't seem to be paying much attention to the cards anymore. His eyes were dark as he drank her in, barely glancing at his hand before he pushed a few chips into the center, and she followed his lead.

She glanced down at her hand, purposefully furrowing her brow despite having an eight, nine, ten, and jack of diamonds.

She glanced up to see Klaus watching her carefully, and she quickly blanked her face. He smiled slightly. "Ready, love?"

She nodded. "Actually, I think I might be done after this round," she said, tilting her head to the side and giving him a heated stare.

Hopefully luck was on her side.

"Fair enough. It's rather late, isn't it?"

"I'm not _that_ tired."

He grinned, sliding two cards over to trade in, and she dealt them to him before replacing her four of spades with the top card of the deck.

She fought down a smile at the queen of diamonds staring back at her.

She bit her lip when she looked up, trying not to laugh when she noticed his eyes focus on the movement, and she wasn't sure if he was conscious of the lascivious way he licked his lips as he stared.

"All in," she said, her voice dropping in tone as she bent forward and pushed all of her chips into the center of the table. She knew he thought she was just trying to finish up the game and fuck on the bar table, and in any other situation she'd be tempted (okay, she _was_ tempted), but she kind of wanted to see his face when she laid down her cards and walked out with her winnings.

Though she expected him to take the opportunity to admire her cleavage, his eyes were fixed on her face.

"Alright, sweetheart," he said slowly, pushing most of his money in, not bothering to count the exact amount to match her bet. He looked faintly surprised at the smirk she shot him, but his face blanked again.

"Show me," she said, nodding at his cards but keeping eye contact.

He turned over his hand. "Full house," he said with a smirk, his eyes glittering as he watched her. "And what do you have, love?"

"Straight flush," she said with her own grin, laying down her cards with what was probably a little too much drama than was appropriate, but a small smile twisted on Klaus's face despite his loss.

"Good game, love," he murmured, his hand already reaching for the hem of his shirt, and she watched the slow movement, tempted to let him tug it off, to see the skin underneath. She wondered if he was as deliciously lean and muscled as she'd been imagining. What would his skin taste like? Did he have tattoos? He looked like he would like nothing better than for her to find out, watching her with dark eyes as his fingers curled around the hem of his shirt. His eyebrow raised, head tilted to the side, and he'd just begun to raise his arms to peel the henley off when she spoke.

"Actually, I think I'll walk," she said, raking the chips over to her side of the table.

Klaus's eyebrow raised slowly as he stared at her with what looked like a cross between amusement and incredulity. "Beg pardon, love?"

"I said I'll take the money."

His eyes didn't stray from her face as he seemed to process what she'd just said. She saw a flash of anger before his head tilted to the side, eyes glittering. He almost looked _impressed_. Abruptly he grinned, dimples cutting into his cheeks, and he dropped the hem of his shirt. "I suppose that was our deal."

"It was."

He counted out the chips and got up to pull bills from the lockbox in the corner. She swallowed when she saw the obvious bulge in his jeans that he wasn't even attempting to hide, her mouth going dry. She cleared her throat, looking away as he walked back to the table and counted out the money for her before looking up, not sliding the bills over. "I'm afraid I can't allow you to keep your things, however. You did lose your pretty dress fair and square."

There was a challenge in his eyes, a sparkle of triumph as though he thought she'd just _give in_ , and she grinned. "Not a problem. I'll just take my money and my jacket then."

She felt his eyes on her as she grabbed her trenchcoat from the back of the chair and put it on over her bra and boyshorts, tying the belt tightly. He was smiling when she reached out her hand, wriggling her fingers until he handed her the money before making a show of holding one up to the light to check that it was real before counting them again and putting them in her purse.

"Good game."

"Yes, it was," he agreed, his voice soft as he stared at her. An odd sense of foreboding filled her, the anticipation of doing something adrenaline-inducing and probably stupid.

Still, she tore herself away, waved and walked out with purpose, her heels clicking on the floor, hips swinging _maybe_ a bit more than necessary, and the room fell silent when she emerged. She glanced around in confusion as a few men looked from her to the backdoor. "What?" she asked to no one in particular, and the bartender shrugged, looking a bit tense.

"We told your friends to go home. People don't usually come out from the back room after they go in."

"Takes a lot of girls back there, does he?" Caroline asked dryly, readjusting her purse on her shoulder.

The bartender looked a little shaken, but before Caroline could ask what was wrong, Klaus's voice spoke behind her as he leaned against the doorframe of the back room. "Have a safe walk home, Caroline. Do come again."

The way her name rolled off of his tongue sent an excited shiver down her spine. She couldn't tear her eyes away from him, enticed by the way danger radiated off of him in waves, from how he was standing to the way he looked at her, like he wanted to drag her to the back room again and taste every inch of her skin. She knew that seeing him again would be a bad idea, was pretty sure that the gambling den was a lot more dangerous a place than Steven had made it sound, but there was something about him that drew her, something quietly insidious beneath the pretty package. He was _dark_ , but it was somehow alluring.

Despite every logical part of her insisting that coming back had 'POOR LIFE CHOICE' written on it with neon lights and accompanying sound effects, she found herself tempted.

"Maybe," she allowed with a nod, a small smile edging its way onto her face.

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What did you think? Did you feel like their connection was believable? Did you like the banter? Was the tension okay?

There will be smut in this eventually, I promise lol


	4. Chapter 4

Thank you so much to garglyswoof and chica-cherry-lola for help with this! I hope you guys enjoy it.

In case I haven't said it before, the prompt that sparked this story post-strip poker nugget was a Veronica Mars inspired fic, so this chapter contains an iconic Logan x Veronica scene...

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"Hi! We're here to look for a honeymoon suite," Caroline said cheerfully to the hotel receptionist, her fingers tangling so naturally with Klaus's that she almost didn't notice until his thumb brushed along her knuckle, the gentle touch making her breath catch. She heard Klaus chuckle under his breath and he squeezed her hand lightly.

The receptionist boredly pulled a binder out of a drawer and turned it around, opening it. "Here are some of our more affordable options."

Caroline inwardly rolled her eyes. "Oh, money's not a problem," she said sweetly, pushing the binder back. "Right, baby?"

Klaus shot her a warning look, though dutifully muttered a 'yes, sweetheart' in an American accent.

"Great! So, here's more what I had in mind," Caroline said, pulling out their old wedding book from her purse and dropping it on the counter, opening it to the page she'd constructed for honeymoon hotels. "Something in the thousand to fifteen-hundred range? Tasteful. Not cheap-looking, you know? I have like, five hundred thousand Instagram followers and I don't want to look like we aren't shelling out."

Klaus snorted from beside her, though he managed to clear his face when she shot him a scolding glance.

"Right..." the girl said slowly, opening the drawer and pulling out another binder. "Well, we only have two suites in that price range. This one is the Siren Suite, which comes with a jacuzzi, massage kit, and a triple-size shower for $1100 a night. The other one is the Princess Suite, which has a three-sixty degree view, private elevator access, and comes with a free couples spa day for $1200. It all depends on what you-"

"Can we see them?" Caroline interrupted, trying to sound eager, and the receptionist typed something on the computer again before frowning.

"Well, we can give you a tour of the Siren Suite, but unfortunately the Princess Suite is occupied."

Caroline gave the receptionist a clearly forced smile. "Like, literally occupied? We can totally just poke our heads in. It'll be super quick."

"I'm sorry, but we take our guests' privacy very seriously, and the last I heard, there was still a do not disturb sign up."

So it was probably the Princess Suite then, since Klaus had mentioned the do not disturb sign. She should have remembered.

"Not even for a little peek?" Caroline asked, trying to think of the saddest thing possible to make tears come to her. "I just really want this wedding to be perfect, you know? And I've tried so hard-"

"I'm sorry, but I can't," the girl said, sounding genuinely apologetic.

"Candice, sweetheart, we can always come back some other time," Klaus said, gently tugging his hand away from hers to slide his arm around her waist and curl two fingers in the belt loop of her jeans. She turned her scoff at her fake casino name from when they'd met into a sniffle only semi-successfully, slightly distracted by how his thumb was tracing her skin just above the waistband of her jeans. It was clear that he was going to milk the opportunity to touch her as much as possible, and she was torn between being furious at him for making her remember how good his hands felt on her skin and irresistibly hungry for more.

When they'd been together the first time he'd always had his hands on her somehow, his palm on her lower back or an arm slid around her shoulders or waist, and it had never failed to make her feel wanted and safe.

Wait, together the first time?

She nearly groaned out loud. She'd known being around him would be tempting, but she hadn't expected herself to start falling for him again so quickly and intensely. She felt a light squeeze of her hip and looked up, torn from her thoughts to see the receptionist and Klaus both looking at her expectantly. "Sorry, what?"

"She asked if you'd like to see the Siren Suite as well. I know you had your heart set on the view, but perhaps we should just make sure?"

"Oh! Umm... Sure," Caroline said, trying to sound excited.

"Of course. Follow me."

They walked behind the receptionist, who led them to the elevator and scanned a keycard so they could go up. As soon as they walked into the suite, Klaus shook his head at her. "I don't like it, sweetheart."

"Me neither," Caroline said immediately, grabbing Klaus's hand and turning to the receptionist. "Thanks anyway."

They made small talk with the receptionist on the way down, and Caroline watched as Klaus expertly swiped the keycard from her back pocket.

Klaus bent down to press his lips against her ear to cover his hissed words. "I'll distract her. Here's the card. Extend the reservation for a few days and text me when you're done. I'll meet you by the elevators," he said before pulling back and speaking in a normal tone. "Would you like to look at the event rooms on the ground floor? I know you were concerned about it raining."

"I need to run the the restroom, but you totally should. I trust you."

She stood on her toes to give him a quick peck on the lips before she really thought it through, freezing for a split second when she realized it, fighting down a blush at the ridiculously smug smirk on Klaus's face.

Whatever. They had to act the part, after all, right?

She walked around the corner towards the restrooms and waited a few seconds before peeking to make sure that Klaus and the receptionist were out of sight. Once she was sure they were gone, she darted up to the desk and jiggled the mouse to wake the computer up, thanking every deity that the girl was still logged on. She figured out the system quickly, extending the room's reservation until the end of the week. She nearly winced at the price before remembering that she shouldn't be feeling guilty at all considering whoever was paying for it had probably murdered Aurora and framed Klaus...

She was such an idiot.

She looked at the record, wrinkling her nose when she saw that the room had been paid with a pre-loaded debit card. Still, she took down the number and the name it was registered under (Klaus Michaelson, because apparently whoever it was didn't do even the most basic research) and decided she'd try to track it.

She paused as she finished the reservation, her fingers hovering over the mouse. Klaus could easily have done this himself. This case was cake, honestly. He didn't need her.

He'd always been careful about keeping the ball in her court when it came to their relationship. He pushed, sure, but he didn't pressure. He also hated asking for help, even if it was her. It wasn't like him to come to her when he could easily have solved the case himself. His excuses for sticking around at her house and turning up at her office were flimsy at best and she knew it. She'd wanted him to stay, though, so she hadn't asked.

In retrospect, that seemed like a mistake. He obviously wanted her to solve the case of who killed Aurora, and her first thought was that it was an excuse to get together with her again. Her gut told her that there was something more going on, though.

But what?

She texted him with shaky hands to let him know she was ready and walked to the elevators to wait, wondering whether she should confront him when he came back. He appeared moments later, the receptionist just behind him. "Did you like them?"

"Let's talk about it over lunch. I'm starving," he said, nodding at the hotel restaurant entrance nearby, and Caroline turned the receptionist with a large smile.

"Thank you so much for all your help."

"Pleasure. Is there anything else I can do for you?" the receptionist asked, clearly tired of 'helping' them.

"No. Thanks again!" Caroline said brightly, waving, and the receptionist walked back to the desk.

Caroline's heart was pounding as they waited for her to turn away before riding the elevator up to the top floor and scanning the key card.

A single glance at the crumpled sheets and random pieces of paper on the desk inside told her that there were possible clues here, but Caroline wanted to talk about the card first, needing to sate her curiosity and too anxious about the possibility of something bigger going on to wait.

"So, I got the credit card number for the person who bought the room, but it's a prepaid card, so we don't have a name. We need to figure out where they bought it and then we should be done."

"Excellent. Well done, love."

"Thanks, except I'm 99% sure you knew that," Caroline said quietly, watching him carefully for any reaction to her words. "You could have solved this in less than a few hours, and don't tell me you couldn't or that you were worried the police were after you. You have the resources to cover this up, or even to frame someone else for it. Why did you come to me, Klaus?"

"I don't know what you're talking-"

"I just told you not to pretend you didn't know."

He stared at her for a few seconds, and she knew that she was right and he was choosing his words carefully. She wasn't sure whether she was more angry that he lied about the case or the reasons behind coming to her with it. Was this a trap? Had he been leading her on? Making her think he was interested while using her for something?

"When I woke up with Aurora's bloody corpse on top of me, They'd taped a note over her mouth," he said quietly, his tone wary as though he was preparing for a fight. "It said that you were next, and I came to see you as soon as possible," he said, eyes fixed on her face, the 'to make sure you were alive' unspoken but still heavy in the air.

"I'm fine," she said, annoyed at herself for the gentle tone of her voice but somehow needing to reassure him, and he smiled slightly.

"I've noticed."

"But seriously, your first instinct wasn't to, I don't know, tell me that I was in mortal danger?"

"Oh yes, because telling the truth worked out so well the last time," Klaus said with a bitter half-laugh.

"You didn't tell the truth last time until I found out. That doesn't count."

"And you ran when I finally did, Caroline. I couldn't let that happen again. I needed you with me to keep you safe."

"Oh yes, because having me help you solve a murder case makes me so safe."

"I panicked, Caroline. I had to keep you close, and it was my first thought."

"Seriously? You panicked?" Caroline asked, her eyebrows raised. "You don't panic."

"I panic when there's a threat on your life," he said, his eyes flashing with anger. "Perhaps it didn't occur to you, but I've never been taken by surprise like that before. They managed to drug me. They could have killed me if they wanted to, but they didn't. They clearly wanted me to suffer. I was terrified that they'd find you before I did."

Caroline wrapped her arms around herself protectively, glancing out the window at the view of the city, the last traces of sunset still peeking out over the high-rises. She felt a lump rise in her throat. "Oh."

"I'd apologize for the inconvenience, but I'd rather you irritated and alive than unbothered in a grave," he said dryly, and she found that she couldn't meet his eyes, her hands shaking as her thoughts began to spiral.

"I know," she said, reaching for the digital camera she kept in her purse. "Let's just go through the evidence, okay?"

It took over two hours to comb through everything, Klaus taking pictures of the scene and Caroline writing copious notes on every single detail. By ten o'clock Caroline was getting tired, her head still spinning from the information about the death threats.

"We should head back, love," Klaus said quietly the third time her eyes drooped in the middle of him taking a picture of a tiny speck of blood on the carpet.

"Yeah. Okay," she said, too tired to argue that they might want to spend a little more time sealing up the evidence and making sure their fingerprints weren't all over everything. The security cameras had caught them anyway, and now that she knew that Klaus was just trying to keep an eye on her she had no doubt that he'd cooked up at least five different completely legitimate sounding excuses for how and why he'd brought her to the hotel room.

She rested her head against the window as Klaus drove them back to her apartment, the glass cool against her cheek, and she knew he was glancing at her, could feel his eyes on her every so often, but neither of them spoke. When they finally pulled into her allotted parking space she groggily fumbled for her seatbelt and felt his warm palm cover her hand, his thumb pressing the button to release it.

She felt herself wake up a little more as the cool night air nipped at her skin, and heard the beep when Klaus locked the car as she walked to the front of the building. His footsteps were silent behind her, but she knew he was there, his eyes on her as he followed her to the elevator. She leaned against him as he pushed the button for her floor, his arm curling around her waist, palm settled on her hip. It was like the touches earlier in the hotel had caused a relapse of an addiction to his hands on her skin, his body pressed against hers. She was hungry for more and too tired to care that she shouldn't be getting attached again, his presence comforting and familiar.

"Do you think you know who-" she began, going silent at the way his eyes darted to the security camera in the corner of the elevator.

"I have a theory," he said quietly under the cover of the loud ding as they arrived on her floor and the clunk of the doors sliding open. His hand slid from her hip to the small of her back, pressing against it gently.

"What is it?"

She fumbled with the keys before managing to unlock the door, and he followed her, lingering in the doorway of her bedroom before entering at her nod.

"It was Silas," Klaus said, his hands stuffed in his pockets as he leaned against the wall and watched her kick her shoes into her closet and take off her earrings.

"How do you know?"

"The two other major circles in the city have been itching to take over for quite a long time now, but the Geminis don't have the numbers or the resources to be this reckless."

"So? They aren't the only two choices."

"Silas knows what you mean to me, Caroline," he said quietly, his gaze never wavering from her face.

She scoffed. "We were engaged, Klaus."

"And most assumed, as you did, that I wasn't truly taken with you."

"Klaus, I never—"

"I don't blame you in the least," he said quietly. "Though I was forward with my affections, I understand that I was not as forward with my feelings as you would have liked."

"I knew what I was getting into."

"Is that so? Because I can't help but think that you might have been hoping that I'd change if you just hung on long enough. That you could make me a better man."

"People don't change unless they want to," she said quietly. "You didn't, and I knew that. You like who you are, and I did too."

"Did?" he asked quietly, eyeing her with clear trepidation.

"I do," she amended with the smallest flash of a smile. "I was just...scared."

"Of what?" he asked, though his voice was calm, easy, and she knew that he had a good idea of what she was going to say. He'd always known her too well.

"You," she said quietly. "Me. How easy it was to lie to my parents and tell them you owned a squeaky clean casino. How easy it was to love you."

"Well, I'm quite loveable."

She snorted, sitting down on the bed, hesitating before patting the space next to her, and he followed immediately, the mattress dipping as he sunk down beside her. "You're super irritating, actually."

"And perhaps you were also a tad concerned with the death threats you found in my desk."

"Perhaps," she drawled. "In my defense, they were pretty detailed."

"Alarmingly so, yes."

They sat in silence before she looked at him, saw the tightness of his face, the stiffness of his shoulders.

"I wouldn't have let anything happen to you," he said suddenly, his voice cutting through the silence.

"I know."

She felt his eyes on her even though she was staring at her hands twisting in her lap, and she was about to clumsily change the subject when he spoke again.

"It's late. You should sleep if you can. I'll be just outside, all right? I promise I'll—"

"Stay," she whispered, turning to look at him. It was comforting to know that whoever had gone for Aurora wouldn't come for her too while he was close. She was annoyed with herself for being scared, but she also had to admit to herself that even if she hadn't been, she still probably would have asked.

He looked surprised, and she almost blurted out a 'never mind' when he nodded. "Of course, sweetheart."

He peeled off his henley and let it fall and she flushed, looking away. "You don't have to strip down or anything."

He laughed quietly. "I've slept next to you in less, I'll remind you."

"Well, yeah but... Look, no touching."

His lips twitched. "It's been a while, but if I recall correctly, I'm not the one who invades others' personal space in the middle of the night, love."

She got cold at night and Klaus had been a convenient heater. Sue her.

"That's not what I mean."

"If I touch you it'll be because you initiated," he said quietly. "You know I want you, love. I've not kept it a secret. For once I've been honest about my intentions. The ball is firmly in your court, as the laymen say."

Their conversation had reassured her that he wanted her even before he'd been so blunt, and she knew that she was close enough to giving in that she basically already had. He'd always made her feel so safe, his body lean and muscular against her back, nose buried in her hair.

Would it be so bad?

She swallowed, taking some pajama shorts and an old shirt out of her drawer and walking into the bathroom, flipping the light and grimacing when she realized she'd grabbed one of the long-ago stolen henleys. She changed and came back to find him already on the bed, the covers next to him turned down. The sight was so familiar that she felt her heart ache. She slipped into bed, feeling his eyes on her back when she curled up to face away from him. She closed her eyes, tried to slow her breathing even though her heart was pounding, and the light clicked off a few minutes later, Klaus moving under the covers with her. She waited what felt like an agonizing amount of time until his breathing evened before wriggling back against him, letting herself smile when his arms wrapped around her, pulling her close.

In the morning she'd blame it on accidental cuddling, and she was weirdly looking forward to him not believing her.

* * *

Thank you so much for reading! Do you think their dynamic is working? Is there any thing you're curious about? Any favorite lines or parts? Constructive criticism? The only way I know what you think is if you tell me, and feedback makes me a better writer and gives me tons of inspiration!


	5. Chapter 5

Another flashback to a (much requested) relationship landmark! Thank you to garglyswoof and chica-cherry-lola for beta help. I hope you guys enjoy it :)

* * *

 **Four years ago...**

Caroline looked up from her textbook with a frown when she heard a key turning in the lock of the front door followed by a loud series of barks and the thumps of Tyler bounding down the stairs. Klaus had been gone for the last few days on some sort of 'business trip' (she generally preferred to remain in the dark about specifics), and she hadn't expected him home for another day or so. She'd been looking forward to a few days alone to study, since it was almost finals week in her last semester of law school and Klaus had only gotten _more_ distracting in the few months since she'd moved in with him.

Unfortunately, it hadn't been any easier with him gone. The package she'd stumbled upon when she came home early a few days ago was still eating at her thoughts, and she honestly hadn't gotten much done.

Tyler's barks abruptly cut off and she bit her lip, suddenly realizing that not only was she was all alone with an overly friendly rottweiler in a house owned by a man with more enemies than she could list, but she'd also forgotten to turn the pain-in-the-ass security system back on when she'd gotten back from her morning jog. She stood up and grabbed the frying pan she'd used to make sub-par scrambled eggs that morning off the stove, weighing it in her hand as she tentatively backed up towards the sliding door that led to the yard, mentally running through every self-defense tactic Klaus had drilled into her.

"Caroline?" Klaus called as the thump of what was probably a suitcase hit their floor, and she sighed in relief, setting the pan back down on the stovetop.

"Kitchen," she called back, pausing in the middle of reaching for her textbook when she saw him. "You look..." she trailed off, searching for a tactful phrase.

"Exhausted and irritable?"

"You said it, not me. What's wrong?"

"My minions are disappointingly incompetent." he grumbled, sinking down in the chair she'd just vacated.

"I'm shocked," she said dryly, turning to pick up their electric kettle and filling it with water. When Klaus was irritated, more tea generally had a direct correlation with less murder.

"I am too, to be honest. Maddox is generally quite reliable."

She hummed, glancing to see him fiddling with the pen she'd been using to make flashcards, a contemplative look on his face. "Anything I can help with?"

"I'm not sure you want to know, sweetheart."

"Try me."

"Warehouse was broken into," he said shortly.

She waited for him to continue, but he didn't. "What was in it?"

"Drugs. Expensive ones."

"Oh," she muttered, getting up when the kettle whistled and grabbing mugs from the cupboard. "Don't you have security cameras?"

"They apparently drugged Maddox and shut them off. We tested his lunch. The idiot..."

"Have you tried security footage from the warehouses nearby?"

"Yes. Nothing," he growled.

"Hey, don't be mean. I'm just trying to help," she said lightly, setting down his mug and handing him the milk from the fridge before scooping a liberal amount of sugar into her tea.

"Sorry, love. Any help is appreciated."

"Traffic cameras?"

"Yes."

"Fingerprints?"

"I have my people on it now, but I doubt they'll find anything."

"Don't you need a keycard to get in?"

"Yes."

"So, wait, how exactly did they get in then? Because whatever drugs they gave Maddox wouldn't have taken effect until he ate the food, and since you're paranoid and don't let anyone leave the warehouse premises, I'm assuming he had his lunch in the room with the cameras? How would anyone else have gotten in?"

"I don't know, love," Klaus said, his voice dripping with forced patience.

"No, seriously. It doesn't make any sense," she muttered, raising her mug to her lips before pausing mid-sip and setting it back down. "Klaus, did you test his blood or his food?"

"What, love?"

"Like, what if Maddox changed the footage from the security room, brought drugged food as a cover, and let people in?"

Klaus's eyes snapped up to look at her face, and she could practically see the gears turning in his mind as he processed what she said. "Have I ever told you how brilliant you are?" he asked, his fingers already tapping at his phone screen, presumably to tell someone to detain Maddox.

"Once or twice," she said, grinning and taking a sip of tea.

"It's a pity you have your heart set on defending the innocent or I'd convince you to come work for me."

"Nope! I think sleeping with your boss is generally frowned upon."

"Is that supposed to be a deterrent? I was under the impression you liked dabbling in the forbidden."

She snorted. "That's not the point. I'm going to be a kickass P.I., and I can't get any obvious help from you if I want to be taken seriously. Don't give me that look. It doesn't matter whether you think you're helping. It matters whether other people do."

"I know, love. P.I.'s a new goal, however. When did that happen?"

She felt her heart pound and she swallowed. "Well, I could get disbarred if you got convicted for anything that I knew about, and if I decided to do criminal defense or prosecution I'd inevitably end up with a conflict of interest at some point."

Klaus looked dubious, but nodded slowly. "As long as you're not sacrificing the career you wanted for me."

"Nope. I wouldn't do that. Plus, if I was a lawyer, I wouldn't be able to use your evil criminal ties for questionably legal research."

"I thought I wasn't allowed to help."

"You're totally allowed to help! You're just not allowed to be my boss."

"Hmm...But I like being the boss."

"Not today, buddy," she said cheerfully, giving him a playful bump with her shoulder as she moved past him to rinse out her mug. "I have to study."

"I gathered," he said, nodding at the textbooks on the table.

"Yep! I have my last round of tests next Thursday."

"Well, when we get notice that you've passed we'll have to find some way to celebrate."

"I'm sure we will."

He nodded, stretching, and she eyed him as he ran a hand through his hair. "How long was your flight?"

"Few hours. It wasn't bad at all. I think I'll take a shower, though. I smell like aeroplane. Join me?"

"Ugh, I wish. No, I have to finish studying. I'll get dinner started, though."

He eyed her warily as he stood up. "You sure?"

"No fires. I promise. But unpack too, okay? Ty will totally maul your luggage if he thinks there's food in it."

His lips twitched and he pressed a kiss to her temple. "All right. I'll be back in a bit, sweetheart."

She nodded, already pulling a pot from the cabinet to pour water in. Pasta wasn't hard, right?

About an hour later she was grimacing at the pan in her oven-mitt covered hands. "Okay, it's unsalvageable," Caroline muttered to herself, staring at the burnt remnants of what was _supposed_ to be the lasagna.

"Just a bit," Klaus said from behind her, and she could hear the laughter in his voice as his arms slid around her waist, lips pressing against her neck. "Do you want some help?"

"No," she said firmly. "I'm doing this myself. I'm making us a nice, edible dinner and you're going to sit down and let me. I'm sure you're tired from your long day of murder and evil masterminding anyway."

She felt his lips move against her skin as he smiled. "No murder today, I'm afraid. I think Maddox will have to wait until tomorrow as well. I've missed you and it's rather difficult to relax watching you bend down to reach in the oven in those lovely little shorts of yours."

She snorted, wriggling out of his arms. "You are such a perv."

"I don't know if it counts if you're my girlfriend."

"You were a perv before I was your girlfriend. Need I remind you of the excessive amount of time you spent staring at my boobs when we first met?"

"We were playing strip poker."

"So?"

"That's the point. Further, I'm fairly sure that was a strategy on your part."

"It totally was, but it also proves my point."

"What, that I enjoy looking at you?"

"Pervily!"

"I don't think that's a word."

"Says the criminal that dropped out of high school to the girl graduating from law school."

"Well that's rather classist of you, love. I'll have you know that I'm quite the entrepreneur."

"I never would have guessed."

He grinned and she flashed a smile back before grimacing as she tried to scrape the burnt remnants of the pasta off the sides of the casserole dish into the compost. "I don't know what I did wrong," she muttered.

"You burned it," he said, as though that was supposed to be _helpful_ , and she huffed.

"Obviously. I just meant that I don't know how that happened."

"Here," he said, shifting behind her and pressing a soft kiss to her neck as he eased the spatula from her hand, his arms flexing as he scraped the burnt cheese off the sides of the pan in a way that made her lick her lips despite the slight smell of burnt cheese still lingering in the air.

"I can do it myself," she muttered.

"I'm aware, but I need to get my aggression out due to today's lack of murderous activities."

She laughed, letting her head tip back onto his shoulder in spite of herself, his warmth comfortable and right.

"You have pasta sauce and cheese leftover?"

"Yeah."

"Let's just do spaghetti, then."

"I'm supposed to do it myself," she insisted, twisting against him as he pulled her closer, his palm flat on her belly, stubble scratching pleasurably against her neck

"I'll supervise," he murmured against her skin between kisses, and she huffed, though she was unable to restrain a smile.

It was rare for him to be playful like this, and she savored the moment, the clear display of the comfort he felt with her. "I think you'd probably distract me more than supervise," she muttered, the last word turning into a gasp as his hand snuck under the waistband of her cotton shorts. "Klaus!"

"What, love?"

"I'm hungry!"

"So am I."

"For food."

"You can multitask."

"I don't think I could even concentrate well enough to make a sandwich if you keep touching me like that."

"How inconvenient."

"Klaus..."

He sighed long-sufferingly and let go, and she immediately missed the warmth of his body against hers. "Fine, then. Unsupervised spaghetti-making it is."

"Well maybe if you weren't so paranoid we could go out."

"Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean that people aren't out to get me," he said, his voice deceptively light, and she decided to let that particular battle go. For now.

"Well what do _you_ want to do, then?"

"You can study for your exams while I make dinner. That way you won't feel guilty when I keep you occupied until sunrise."

"Sunrise is in like, 10 hours."

"And?"

"The tests are next week. I was counting on a _little_ more study time before you got back and got super distracting again."

"I'm the distraction?" he asked teasingly. "You have no idea what filthy things I wish I were doing with you while I'm out on business. I spend an inordinate amount of time that I should be using productively to plan all the ways I'll make you moan for me when I get back, the way you'll look tangled in our bedsheets prominent in my mind," he said, his voice low.

"Yeah?"

"I made such plans, my love. And then I come back and find that you're busy with your classes, preparing to capture and put away the less moral crowd in New York..." he trailed off, the teasing glint in his eye showing that he was completely aware that he was being excessively dramatic, and she scoffed.

"Says the kingpin of the criminal underworld. How will I ever set an elaborate trap to put you behind bars if you don't let me study?"

"You know quite well that you've already caught me, sweetheart."

"Oh my god, Klaus...You're so cheesy."

"You've done a remarkable job of pretending you didn't snoop in my mail, sweetheart, but we'll have to work on your ability to return evidence to its untampered state."

 _Oops._

"That obvious, huh?" she asked, flushing.

"Quite," he said with a flash of a grin, reaching to tangle his fingers with hers. "I do hope you liked the design, at least? I had it custom-made, you know."

"Jewelry designer _and_ evil mastermind? Who knew?" she teased, unable to tear her gaze away from his.

His eyes had a warmth to them that she hardly ever saw but knew was still somehow specifically reserved for her. While he wasn't great about expressing his feelings, even when they were alone, she had no doubt that he loved her. Still, she'd watched friends who thought that they were with their soulmates have everything crash down around them, their relationships souring until they couldn't stand each other.

The difference was, the risks associated with the possibility of her leaving or him deciding he didn't want her anymore were much more dangerous. She knew too much, and Klaus was ruthless to those he considered a threat. Her instincts told her that he was in for the long haul, though, and being with him was what she wanted. She'd told him so even after he'd sat her down a few months in and told her what he really did for a living, clearly worried that she might leave him for it. Despite her reservations and the niggling doubts in her mind, the old insecurities she desperately tried to fight down, she still felt the same way.

"Well, luckily I know a morally questionable person who might be able to help me get a little better at it. The not tampering with evidence thing, I mean. It's a skill I should probably know, right?" she rambled, her voice slightly shaky. She gave him a small, nervous smile, and he returned it, squeezing her hand lightly.

"So that's a yes, then?"

She raised an eyebrow, giving him her best ' _Seriously'_ look, and his lips twitched. "Will you marry me, Caroline?"

It took all her willpower to keep a straight face as she fought off a giggle threatening to bubble up at how impatient he looked. "Yes."

He gave her one of the brightest, most satisfied smiles she'd ever seen from him, one that lit up his face, and she couldn't help but return it.

"I love you," she said, cupping his cheek and pressing her lips to his lightly before pulling back. smiling as his arms wrapped around her waist.

"I love you too, sweetheart," he murmured, his nose running along her jaw, tongue darting out to flick the hollow behind her ear, and she was about to wind her hands into his shirt to hold him there when he pulled back. "Now, you said you needed some alone time to study, is that correct?"

He was giving her the smug look of someone who knew they'd just won, and she had half a mind to nod and gather her things to study somewhere else just to be petty, but...

"Seriously? You just _proposed_."

"Is that an invitation to interrupt your little study session, then?"

"What do you think?"

All she caught was the flash of a dimpled smirk before her back was pressed against the wall with her shorts halfway down her thighs, Klaus pressing kisses and nips to her hipbone. Her head fell back, hitting the plaster with a painful thump that was drowned by the feeling of Klaus's tongue on her clit.

She let out a strangled moan as he slung her legs over his shoulders, cupping her ass and curling his tongue against her walls just the way he knew she liked it. "If I'd known this would be the result I'd have told you I found the ring literally thirty seconds after it happened," she said between short, shallow gasps of air, and she heard him chuckle before the tip of his finger dipped into her back entrance and she was _gone_.

He knew her body so well, knew how to work her up fast and make her tip over the edge in minutes, and he took advantage of it. She soon found herself on her back on the floor quivering from aftershocks with Klaus balancing over her on his elbows, the bulge in his jeans pressing insistently against her thigh. "You are so beautiful," he murmured between kisses to her neck and collarbone, and she moaned, her nails digging into his back as he sucked what she knew would turn into bright red marks on the skin of her neck. "And brilliant and strong..."

She grinned, bringing her knees up to wrap her legs around his waist and grind her center against his covered cock, watching his face carefully, savoring the way his lips parted slightly, his eyes closing for just the briefest moment. He swore, letting her flip them so that she was straddling him, and she moaned at the friction against her core, the roughness of his jeans perfect against her slick skin. She peeled her camisole off, her core clenching from the want in his eyes as he tracked every movement before she dropped the fabric to the floor and bent down, cupping his cheeks to kiss him softly. His palms were hot against her hips as he steadied her, grinding against her, a low groan rumbling in his throat. "Take off your shirt," she ordered when she pulled back, knowing she looked a bit too smug when she saw his glazed eyes and swollen lips.

She let her fingers hook in his belt loops, watching his arms flex as he pulled his shirt off _much_ too slowly, and bent to press kisses to the tattoo etched on his shoulder. She made sure to palm him just a bit more softly than he probably wanted when she reached between them to unbutton his jeans, coaxing a murmured expletive from his lips before she shoved the fabric down. She knew he must be almost painfully hard from the way he bucked against her hand when she touched him, and she smiled as she moved up on her knees, stroking him a few times before positioning the head of his cock at her entrance, Klaus watching every movement with hungry eyes.

Klaus had a way of making her feel like the sexiest woman alive with just a single heated glance, and she felt unbelievably powerful to have him like this, hard and wanting, looking at her like he could never get enough, the only person he would ever allow to take control. His eyes closed as she sunk onto him, a low growl rumbling in his throat as he tightened his palms on her hips to guide her movements. She'd missed him for the last few days, had craved the feeling of him inside her, stretching her.

"You feel so good," she said, unashamed of the breathy quality of her voice, rolling her hips against him.

"Move, sweetheart."

"What was that?" Caroline asked teasingly, setting her palms on his chest for balance as he squeezed her ass lightly as though he felt like she needed a hint.

He was watching her with dark eyes, tracking every movement she made, and the temptation to roll her hips and give herself some friction was practically irresistible. "You're trying to torture me," he muttered.

"A little," she admitted, finally rocking against him, satisfied at the way his breathing stuttered, his eyes closing. "Hey! Watch me," she whispered, trailing her hand down her stomach to start lazily rubbing her clit. His eyes flew open, glancing at her fingers before moving to her face.

"I love how you look like this," he murmured. "Your pretty eyes glazed over with pleasure as you ride me. And you get off on it, don't you sweetheart? Tell me, do you like the way I watch you? How hungry I am to see your cheeks flush such a lovely shade of pink? Does it make you wet to know that I'm committing every detail to memory, that when I'm gone all I'll be thinking about when I come in my hand is this?"

She nodded, her walls fluttering around him as he spoke. He knew what she liked, knew that one of the things that turned her on the most was how much he _wanted_ her. He'd call her when he was away and tell her how much he missed her laugh and her wit and the way she moaned for him, and she'd come around the toy she kept in her bedside table for when he was away to the deliciously detailed fantasies he whispered from miles apart.

"Tell me," he coaxed as his fingers trailed along her waist, his hips still meeting hers in slow, steady thrusts that weren't _quite_ enough.

Clearly he'd decided that turnabout was fair play.

"I like it."

"You like what, sweetheart?"

She swallowed. "I like the way you watch me," she said shakily, and his dimples cut into his cheeks.

"I want to watch you come," he said, his gaze still not moving from her face as she rubbed her clit, their movements growing faster and more frenzied, and she could see that he was clenching his teeth, his nails biting into the flesh of her ass as he fought to not let go.

"Come for me," she ordered, the effect slightly ruined by how it turned into a moan halfway through. "In me."

"Caroline," he groaned as she let her nails scrape his abs.

She was so close, only needing a little push, and she heard him groan as he tipped over the edge, the extra stimulation from his rough squeeze of her hips enough to make her follow him. She slumped on top of him, her face buried in his neck, and she smiled as she felt his fingers trace up and down her spine.

"Still hungry?" he asked with a wicked smirk, and she laughed, moving up to give him another drugging kiss, her entire body buzzing with anticipation.

"Starving," she said between kisses before pushing herself up on her elbows. "Before we take care of that, though...I'm pretty sure you owe me that pretty ring I found lying around."

"That I do," he said, sitting up, his fingers wrapping around her wrist to bring her hand to his mouth. He kissed her palm, keeping eye contact with her as his finger brushed over the knuckle of her ring finger.

She stood, stretching, admiring how his body moved as he followed.

"It's in our bedroom," he said, standing and buttoning up his jeans, shooting her an exasperated glance when he realized she was pulling on his shirt, and she grinned unrepentantly.

"What?"

"You're just going to take it back off again, love."

"You're just going to take your jeans off again," she pointed out, dodging his arm as he tried to pull her in for a kiss, already heading up the stairs.

"Promise, sweetheart?" he called after her, and she laughed.

"I do."

* * *

Thanks for reading!

Do you have any thoughts? Reactions? Favorite parts? Constructive criticism? The only way I know what you think is if you tell me, and feedback keeps me motivated and helps me get better! :D


	6. Chapter 6

As always, thank you to garglyswoof and chica-cherry-lola for being their fabulous selves. Enjoy!

* * *

The next thing she knew, sunlight was streaming through the window and her legs were tangled with Klaus's, her face buried in his neck. The feel of his body against hers was so familiar and comfortable, bringing back her memories of the way they were before she'd left him. She tried to figure out what had woken her, ignoring the way he was lazily tracing patterns along her spine. She squeaked when she felt something wet and cold poke against the sole of her foot, jerking away from Tyler's nose and knocking her knee into Klaus's leg, making him hiss in pain.

"Shit, sorry!"

"It's all right, love," he said quietly, pulling her closer. "Go back to sleep."

They had a few blissful moments where she almost drifted off again in his arms until Tyler started barking loudly, clearly unimpressed with the disruption of his normal breakfast routine.

"Bloody dog," Klaus muttered. "Didn't we train him to stay quiet?"

"Well you did. He's not nearly as scared of me."

"Because you always spoiled him," Klaus said, failing to fight back a yawn at the end and turning to Tyler when he put his paws on the bed, clearly preparing to jump up and harass them further. "Sit," he said firmly.

Caroline twisted against him to try to look at Tyler, freezing when a low groan rumbled in Klaus's throat, and she realized that he was hard against her hip.

"Seriously?" she muttered, knowing her attempt at an irritable tone had probably been spoiled by the way she naturally hooked her leg around his hip to get her foot as far as possible from Tyler's nose.

"Yes. Seriously," Klaus said before sighing long-sufferingly when Tyler barked again.

"I'll go feed him," Caroline said with a yawn, finding the motivation to disentangle herself and pad to the kitchen.

When she came back to her bedroom, Klaus was sitting up against the headboard frowning at his phone. The bed looked too inviting to ignore and she crawled back in, curling up against his side.

She felt his arm slowly slide behind her shoulders as though he wasn't sure whether she would be receptive.

"Morning," she muttered, not making any effort to pull away, and she felt him relax slightly once it became clear that she wasn't going to suddenly scramble out of bed, his arm tightening around her.

"Good morning, sweetheart. Sleep well?"

"Yeah," she said, savoring the feel of him pressed against her. She had so many conflicted feelings, and maybe it wasn't fair to snuggle up against her ex-fiance when she hadn't quite decided on whether she wanted to getting back together, but Klaus had always seemed to know what she needed even if he didn't know how to give it, so she had no doubt that he was completely cognizant of her indecision but content to go with it for now.

She was also fairly sure that he was coming up with approximately 537 backup plans to get her to decide on him.

Caroline hummed softly in contentment as she laid her head on his shoulder, opening her eyes blearily to see a text message pop up on the lockscreen of his phone. It was from Lucien, a minion she was vaguely familiar with. She was pretty sure that he worked at the police station doing something in the records room, and she had no doubt that if he was the guy she was thinking of, he'd also been tasked to keep an eye on her.

"What's that?"

Klaus was silent for a beat too long and she wondered whether he was going to brush it off, but instead he sighed, his arm tightening around her as though he thought she might bolt. "The NYPD are on their way," he said.

"What?"

"For me."

"So you're going to your safehouse right?" she asked, already mentally listing things he needed to pack, and he laughed quietly.

"No. If I run they'll have more reason to think there's something to hide."

She pulled back and glared at him. "Seriously? You're just going to let them take you?"

"Yes, and if you run off and get yourself killed trying to break me out of a cell I'll be rather miffed when I escape."

"Then don't go," she said shakily, her fingers clamping tightly on his thigh.

"I'll be back."

"You don't know that," she said, taking a shaky breath.

"I doubt they have enough to hold me for longer than 48 hours, especially if I can get one of my people as the judge."

"Why am I not surprised you have judges on your payroll?" she muttered, letting her head drop on his shoulder. "But what if you don't get one?"

She tried to keep her voice even, tried not to show how scared she was, but Klaus must have heard it anyway, his next words in a low tone that was meant to comfort. "I'll have some of my men keep watch, Caroline. You'll be safe."

Her heart was clenching at the prospect of losing Klaus when she felt like she'd just gotten him back. "That's not...It's not me I'm worried about, here. I love you, Klaus."

The words were impulsive, spilling out of her mouth before she'd quite had the chance to think them through, and he seemed about as surprised as she was at the sudden confession.

He didn't answer for a few seconds, his expression unreadable. Her heart pounded in her chest and she took a shaky breath, suddenly nervous, and she closed her eyes as he brushed his knuckle along her cheekbone to clear her hair off of her face. His palm was warm against her skin when he cupped her cheek, guiding her to look at him. He hesitated, studying her face, and she realized he was waiting for her.

She leaned in, pressing her lips lightly against his and pulling back, her arms curving around his body, fingers finding the curls at the nape of his neck.

That seemed to be the invitation he'd needed, and the heat of his kisses was just as intense as she remembered. His lips moved against hers languidly, his tongue dipping into her mouth to trace the back of her teeth as though he was memorizing her taste.

He pulled back, their foreheads pressed together, and she was overwhelmed by the feelings she'd been trying so hard to fight down.

"If you get stabbed with a prison shank or something I will never forgive you."

"I think we both know that I can more than handle myself, sweetheart. Besides, I'll only go to prison if I'm convicted, and I have no doubt I'll be cleared."

"You don't know that."

"I've had my people putting together evidence on Silas for years. You know that. I'm also sure that someone who wants to get in my good graces has also started gathering evidence absolving me of Aurora's death. All we need is someone brilliant to put the case together," he said, giving her a significant look.

"Me?" she squeaked. "I'm not even a real lawyer."

"You passed the bar."

"Yeah, but I don't like, _practice_. Don't you have people for this?"

"None that I trust as much as you," he said, his hand moving to cup the back of her head, fingers tangling in her hair. "Get one of your lawyer friends to officially take the case so that there's no conflict of interest, be your brilliant self, and I'll be out in no time."

"I don't think I put a case together in the time it will take them to pin it on you, even with someone else's help."

"Have a bit of faith in yourself, sweetheart," he said, pressing a kiss to her temple.

She arched her back to catch his lips again, fingertip tracing the triangle tattoo etched on his back. Now that she'd tasted him again, felt his lips against hers, touched his skin, she couldn't get enough.

"Perhaps Kol will be willing to lend a hand," Klaus said between kisses.

"Kol hates me."

"He was holding a grudge in solidarity."

She scoffed as she pulled away, her eyes locked with his, slinging her arms around his neck while his fingers absently traced patterns on her side under the cloth of her long-ago stolen henley. "If you say so."

"Perhaps he was a little bitter that Lorenzo left him," Klaus said warily, eyeing her for her reaction. "However I doubt it will prevent him from being civil, at least."

"Right," Caroline said slowly. "And if I invited Enzo to help?"

"Playing matchmaker, love?"

"A little," she admitted unrepentantly. "But the point is that you have to stay safe and not do anything they can press charges for in the meantime."

"Of course," he said, his fingers tracing the line of her hip. "I must admit that your sudden about-face on your feelings for me makes me a bit more motivated to behave. I've lost too much time with you already to risk getting locked up."

"If you seriously thought I hated you—"

"Honestly, sweetheart, you're quite the expert on keeping me guessing."

She bit her lip, a pang of regret hitting her. When she'd left it was because he'd lied to her, or at least that's what she claimed. That was definitely part of it, feeling like he couldn't trust her with any parts of his business, even the ones that concerned her personal safety, but more of it had to do with how casually he treated the death threats she'd discovered. At the time he seemed like he either wasn't taking it seriously or was ashamed of their relationship, which she knew he thought would open him up more easily to threats. Neither of those options had been palatable, the idea of her fiance either not caring if she died or being uncomfortable with having feelings for her too hurtful, bringing back all of her insecurities that she'd tried so hard to suppress. He'd never been good at expressing his feelings, and she'd always had to read between the lines to some extent, but at that point it was too much.

Now, though... She'd seen how concerned he really was, even after not seeing her for so long. He'd done everything he could to indicate that he really wanted her to choose him, to come back to him. She saw him putting himself out to her, exposing his fears, and she realized that he was actually trying. If he could try to put his fears aside, to show her that she was worth it, then she could too.

She leant in, her nose brushing his lightly before she pressed her lips chastely against his. "I love you," she murmured against his lips, and she felt his hands wrap around her hips before she was below him, his weight comfortable against her. The lines of his body were so familiar pressed against her curves, and she wound her arms around his neck, lifting herself slightly to press her lips against his again. "I love you so much."

"And I you, Caroline."

It was like everything had snapped back into place. She felt her heart surge in her chest and her pulse race and she knew she was ready. They'd lost so much time to her insecurities and his inability to open up, and she didn't want to lose one more second. She buried her face in his neck, inhaling his scent and savoring the feel of him, needing to memorize it, and he chuckled. "Caroline, I need you to let go."

"No."

"I'd like to be escorted to the station showered and clothed."

"Fair enough," she said, her voice muffled against his neck, and she pulled back to press one last kiss to his lips before letting him go so that he could roll off of her. She turned on her side to watch him as he stood up. She'd missed him so much. Missed the way the muscles on his back rippled when he bent to pick things up and the way his hair looked when it was mussed from sleep and the strokes of her fingers. She'd missed the heat of his body against hers and the way he looked at her...

"I'll be back in a quarter hour, sweetheart," he said, pulling her from her thoughts.

"I know how fast you shower," she said, her lips twitching. "I'll make tea. And maybe toast."

Toast was one of the few foods she had mastered, if only because she didn't really have to do anything.

She yawned as she watched him disappear into the bathroom, the sound of the water turning on coming through the bathroom door. She gave herself a few seconds to breathe before pushing herself out of bed and sidestepping Tyler as he bounded towards her, probably intent on stealing whatever she was about to eat from the fridge. Her mind was racing as she distractedly pulled the bread out of the box, considering every possible scenario, and she abruptly realized that she was buttering the bread before putting it in the toaster. Sighing, she threw the food in the compost ignoring Tyler's reproachful whine and pulled out more, trying to mentally prepare herself for what was sure to be a long few days.

Why couldn't her life ever be normal?

Just as she was putting the lever down on a second batch of toast and munching contentedly on the first slice, a knock on her apartment door echoed through the room. "NYPD," a familiar voice called. "Open up."

She reluctantly put down her breakfast and rinsed her crumby fingers off in the sink. They knocked again, this time louder, and she found herself tugging the hem of the henley down self-consciously as she walked over, aware that her legs were bare other than her cotton boyshorts but knowing it was probably best not to keep the police waiting any longer. Caroline liked her door on its hinges.

She hurried over, pulling the door open and narrowing her eyes at Matt whose eyebrows raised, his gaze dragging up and down her form. She cleared her throat pointedly and they snapped back to meet hers.

"Uh, hey."

"Hi."

There was a beat of uncomfortable silence before Matt spoke again, thrusting his hands in his pockets to pull out his badge, as though she hadn't been a bridesmaid at his sister's wedding or drank cheap coffee with him in the break room of the nearest precinct on a weekly basis.

"NYPD," he said awkwardly, flashing the badge before swallowing audibly. "Um. We got a tip that Klaus Mikaelson was here."

"He is."

"Right. Well, we need to talk to him."

"Talk or arrest?"

Matt remained silent, his gaze turning steely, and she huffed, absently fiddling with her hair. "He was just getting into the shower when you got here. He's usually pretty quick though," she said, meeting Matt's eyes and pointedly tugging at the hem of Klaus's shirt. "You can come in if you want. I'd rather not have police lingering in my hallway, no offense."

"Sure."

She stood aside to let Matt in, his partner following him silently.

"Sit down. Can I get you coffee? Tea?"

"I'd like some-"

"We're good, Thanks, Caroline," Matt interrupted his partner, shooting him a warning look.

"Okay. Well, I'll just get my toast. Hold on a sec."

She heard the water shut off in the bathroom, and she quickly buttered the toast and returned to the living room, Klaus coming in a few seconds later. He was barefoot, his shirt sticking to his skin in places, jeans settling just right, still drying his damp hair with a towel.

"I see we have visitors," Klaus said after a moment, tossing the towel through her bedroom door and coming up behind her, his hand touching her arm gently, thumb brushing against the dip by her elbow.

She shot him a glare but decided that she could make an exception to her strict 'put dirty clothes in the hamper' rule just this once, considering the circumstances.

"We'd like to ask you a few questions at the station if you don't mind," Matt said, nodding at Klaus.

"Of course," Klaus said, his smile all teeth. "I do need to get in contact with my lawyer before I answer any questions, however, so might I suggest we schedule an appointment? I'm sure if you called my office Hayley could find a gap in my schedule in the next day or two once Marcel gets back to me."

"Sorry, but we need you to come now, and we'd rather not arrest you."

"Arrest me?"

"Yes."

"For what, exactly?"

"You know."

"I'm afraid I haven't the faintest," Klaus drawled, his hand moving to rest against Caroline's lower back.

"Aurora de Martel's murder."

"I do believe I saw something about that on the news, but I can't imagine why you think I'd be involved."

"Look," Matt's partner cut in, standing up. "Again, we don't want to arrest you. Just ask a few questions."

"Ah, because that would require you to come up with actual evidence sometime in the next forty-eight hours, wouldn't it? I'm willing to wager that you don't have any and don't want to waste your chance. I'll save you the time, shall I? I did not murder Aurora de Martel. There's my statement."

Matt glared at him. "We have a few more questions than that."

Caroline could feel Klaus's body straighten beside her the way it did when he sensed weakness and was about to go in for the kill.

"Well, I'm afraid I'm a rather busy man and I just haven't the time to come at this very moment. My calendar has been cleared for other...activities."

His arm slid around her waist, palm settling on her hip. The implication was clear, and she resisted the urge to elbow him in the side. Other activities. Seriously?

Matt seemed to find the comment just as irritating, though obviously for different reasons. "Um, actually we'd prefer now."

"Again, perhaps I can give you the number for my secretary—"

"Niklaus Mikaelson, you're under arrest as a suspect in the murder of Aurora de Martel. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say from this point forward can be used against you in court of law. You have a right to an attorney—"

"I trust you, sweetheart," Klaus murmured, obligingly turning around to face her as Matt fastened handcuffs to his wrists, still reciting his Miranda Rights.

She kissed him quickly. "I'll do my best."

"I must say that when I thought about kissing you with one of us in handcuffs this isn't at all what I pictured," he said with a grin, and she choked out a laugh through the tears burning her eyes as Matt grabbed him roughly by the arm to steer him towards her front door. Klaus kept his balance, somehow managing to look like he was taking a casual stroll. He threw her a wink over his shoulder as they approached the elevator, and she swallowed as the doors opened, ignoring the snoopy little old lady that lived two doors down who stuck her head out to gawk at the commotion.

Klaus had been ripped away from her just as she'd allowed herself to let him back in, and she felt helpless. Alone.

She wondered if this was how he'd felt when she had walked away.

She wrapped her arms around herself as she watched the lights above the elevator descend until they hit the ground floor, swallowing down the lump in her throat. She took a few shaky breaths, trying to center herself. Klaus needed her, and panicking wouldn't solve anything. She wanted him, she'd clearly decided. Wanted to be with him, and it was exhilarating to finally know without a doubt that he wanted her too.

Still, she wanted to tell him that again when he was a free man.

She knew she had to start working as soon as possible, and that meant swallowing her pride. Kol was angry with her, sure, but loyalty ran thick in the Mikaelson family, and if Klaus said he would be willing to help her, she had no doubt he was right. She walked back into her apartment and shut the door behind her before heading back to her bedroom and unplugging her phone from the charging cable.

She scrolled through the numbers until she found the one she needed. It rang twice before he picked up.

"Well, if it isn't the almost-Mrs. Mikaelson," Kol drawled. "So good to hear from you, darling. It's been far too long..."

"Your brother just got arrested. Where should I meet you?" she asked quickly, cutting off what she was sure would be a long mix of innuendos and below-the-belt jabs about how she'd left things with Klaus, and she heard Kol's sharp laugh.

"No time for niceties, then? Fine, darling. I'll meet you at your apartment in an hour."

The line went dead before she could respond and she rolled her eyes, setting the phone back down. Typical Kol.

Deciding that finishing her breakfast and showering before Kol arrived would be in her best interests, she quickly finished the cold toast and stripped, running through a to-do list. It wasn't until she pushed the shower curtain aside to step under the spray that the ring still sitting on her finger caught the light.

She bit her lip, sliding it off and setting it on the counter. When she got out of the shower a few minutes later she decided to put it back in its box. It just didn't feel right to wear it again.

Not yet.

* * *

Thanks for reading! Any favorite parts? Favorite lines? Theories for what is to come? Feedback or constructive criticism? Please let me know! I cannot wait to hear your thoughts :D


	7. Chapter 7

I'm sorry that it's been awhile! I hope you like this installment. Thank you as always to garglyswoof for beta work.

* * *

 **Four years ago...**

"Okay Care, now that you're engaged can I meet him? Or am I just going to have to be surprised at the wedding?"

Caroline let out a sharp breath, shooting her best friend a glare. "There's a reason you haven't met Klaus, Bonnie."

"Because he's clearly one of the central controllers of the criminal underworld but no one can prove it?"

"I know better than to confirm or deny that," Caroline muttered.

Klaus had so far been pushing back on meeting her friends, mostly citing security reasons, though if she was going to gamble she'd put her money on him being worried they'd convince her to leave him. It sometimes hurt that Klaus had so little faith in her feelings for him, but to be fair it had taken her a long time to convince herself that he wasn't going to get bored and leave her dead in a gutter.

She felt like now was a good time, though. There was no way Klaus was meeting her friends for the first time at their wedding, and if she had her way they'd all be making friendship bracelets by the time they were sending out save-the-dates.

She might be a little bit of an idealist, but some optimism never hurt anyone, right?

"How about dinner tonight?"

Bonnie's eyes widened but she seemed to recover quickly, nodding. "All right."

"Seven okay?"

"Yeah."

"Great!" she said, pulling her phone out of her jacket pocket to text Klaus.

[Caroline]: Hey :) Are you busy tonight?

[Klaus]: I can always make time for you, love.

[Caroline]: Want to do dinner?

[Klaus]: Always.

[Caroline]: Great!

[Caroline]: So, Bonnie doesn't like onions and can't eat fish, but other than that she's pretty flexible :)

[Klaus]: Beg pardon?

[Caroline]: Bonnie's coming over for dinner.

[Klaus]: Ah.

[Klaus]: I was under the impression this was a date.

[Caroline]: Nope! It was a trap :)

[Klaus]: Sorry sweetheart, but something just came up and I won't be able to make it.

[Caroline]: Ha.

[Caroline]: She'll be here at seven, so maybe be home around six?

[Klaus]: No.

[Caroline]: I'll make it worth your while.

[Klaus]: I'm listening.

Caroline bit her lip, trying to figure out a trade that Klaus would consider reasonable. Sex bribes generally didn't work, if only because there wasn't much that he was into that she wasn't, and she liked to save being handcuffed to a headboard for special occasions. Sadly for Bonnie, having dinner with her did not qualify.

He _had_ been trying to convince her to take a vacation now that her practice was set up and she had a steady flow of clients.

[Caroline]: A vacation weekend with no work. Just you and me.

[Klaus]: Make it a week and you have yourself a deal, love.

She scoffed at her phone and Bonnie tried to peek over her shoulder, but she twisted away.

[Caroline]: Four days.

[Klaus]: Five, and that's my final offer.

[Caroline]: Okay :)

[Caroline]: Do you need me to pick up anything at the store for dinner?

[Klaus]: I don't believe so.

[Klaus]: Are you home now?

[Caroline]: Nope! Out for lunch.

[Caroline]: The burrito food truck near the office is actually really good?

[Klaus]: Do you remember if we still have the chocolate from last week or did you eat it?

[Caroline]: Like, I thought it would be questionable but Bonnie SWEARS by it and made me come with her to check it out.

[Caroline]: This chicken burrito is SO GOOD like it could give you a run for your money.

[Klaus]: That's nice, love.

[Klaus]: The chocolate?

[Caroline]: I think I ate it. I was hungry :(

[Caroline]: Should I get some more?

"Care, if you're going to text all day I don't know why I came with you."

"We're planning dinner," Caroline said defensively.

"So he's coming?"

"Yep! Grumpiness and all."

[Klaus]: No. I can make something else.

[Klaus]: I'd prefer she not drive to our house, however. Meet me at the casino at six?

[Caroline]: I'll ask.

"Can we meet him at the casino around six instead? He doesn't want you to have your car at our place."

"Why not?"

"Because he's a paranoid weirdo. I know how to pick my battles."

Bonnie gave her a look that clearly indicated that she was most definitely judging them harshly but nodded. "Great! I'm so excited. You have no idea how long I've been trying to convince him to meet you and Enzo."

Bonnie perked up suddenly at the words. "We should invite Enzo. Hey, don't give me that look. I just don't want to deal with it alone."

"You won't be alone. I'll be there."

"You're a neutral party though, Care. I want someone on my side," she said teasingly, and Caroline pressed her lips together, trying to figure out how to convince Klaus that it would be a good idea.

"I think that might be a lot at once, Bon."

"Right, but look at it this way... Will Enzo be angry I've met him and he hasn't?"

Caroline bit her lip before pulling out her phone again.

[Caroline]: Can I bring Enzo too?

[Klaus]: Why?

[Caroline]: Because if Bonnie meets you before him he might murder me.

[Klaus]: I can send someone.

[Caroline]: What?

[Caroline]: I was joking!

[Caroline]: Klaus i stg

[Caroline]: Klaus if you sent a hitman on my best friend

[Klaus]: Relax, sweetheart. I was joking.

[Klaus]: If there was ever a genuine threat to your life I would most definitely take care of it in person.

[Caroline]: Ha.

[Caroline]: Is that a yes on Enzo, then?

[Klaus]: Fine, in exchange for me bringing someone as well.

"Can you text Enzo and ask him if he wants to come, Bon?"

"Sure," Bonnie said, already reaching for her phone.

[Caroline]: I've met your entire family

[Caroline]: And like, half your people

[Klaus]: Kol.

[Caroline]: Seriously?

[Caroline]: Your brother is a psychopath.

[Klaus]: No he isn't. He's a sadist with feelings.

[Caroline]: Are you joking again?

"Enzo wants to know if he has to leave his car at the office too?"

Caroline huffed at the sarcasm in Bonnie's tone. "Yeah. Sorry."

"It's not my dumb rule."

[Klaus]: No.

[Caroline]: This is a bluff isn't it? You don't want me to bring Enzo so you're making me let you bring someone who will probably ruin dinner for funsies?

[Klaus]: I love how well you know me, sweetheart.

[Caroline]: Fine, but he has to be on time.

[Caroline]: And remind him that our house rule is no weapons at the dinner table.

[Klaus]: Will do, love.

XXX

Caroline parked in one of the reserved spots behind the casino and led Bonnie to the back entrance, waving to Josh, the security guard, as she went by and putting her thumb to the reader to open the door. He nodded at her and pulled out his walkie-talkie, presumably to tell Klaus she'd arrived. Bonnie walked in step with her down the familiar wood-paneled hallway, glancing around with interest. "I thought this was a casino," she muttered.

"It is, but Klaus has a few offices and an art studio in the back," she said, hoping Bonnie was satisfied enough with "you don't want to know" that she didn't ask what specifically Klaus used the offices for. It wasn't like he had racks of boxes labeled "illegal weaponry and stolen money" but Caroline knew that it was probably best not to get in an argument with Bonnie and her stainless steel moral compass.

Luckily Bonnie didn't, and they stopped when they arrived at Klaus's office, where she could hear low music through the wooden door. Before she could knock, the door swung open, and Klaus came out, shutting the door behind him before she or Bonnie could get a glimpse inside and sliding an arm around her waist possessively, holding his other hand out for Bonnie to shake.

"Klaus," he said, and Bonnie shook Klaus's hand firmly with wary eyes.

"I'm Bonnie."

"So I've gathered."

"Klaus!" Caroline hissed, elbowing him in the side. "Seriously?"

"Nice to meet you," Bonnie said with an icy smile. "Caroline's told me so much about you, and I can't wait to see if it's accurate."

Caroline knew that Klaus had killed for less, but she also knew that he wouldn't hurt Bonnie no matter what she pulled, and unluckily for him, Bonnie seemed to have picked up on the power imbalance too.

"Pleasure," Klaus bit out before turning to look at her, his eyes softer. "Wasn't your other friend coming as well?"

"Yeah. He had to stay late at the office but I told him we could send someone to pick him up. Is that okay?"

Klaus seemed to want to say no, but once Caroline let her fingertips wander down the arm that wasn't around her waist before twisting their fingers together, giving him a quick glance through her eyelashes, he nodded reluctantly before his eyes lit up, and a feeling of foreboding twisted in Caroline's stomach. "I'll just send Kol to pick him up on the way, shall I?"

"No," Caroline said firmly.

"Who's Kol?"

"A certified psychopath," Caroline said at the same time as Klaus said, "My brother."

"Cool," Bonnie said dryly.

"No one will die, sweetheart."

"That doesn't cover minor or serious injuries, comas, or other non-death related consequences," Caroline muttered, and Klaus squeezed her hip.

"I'll let him know that he's to behave himself."

Caroline scoffed even as she leaned against him, her head dropping onto his shoulder contentedly while he texted Kol one-handed, and Bonnie watched with barely concealed suspicion. "So," she said slowly, drawing out the word, her eyes darting between them, and Caroline decided to intervene before Bonnie got to the interrogation portion of the evening, giving her friend a bright smile.

"Want a tour?" Caroline asked, at a bit of a loss for something to do while they waited for Enzo.

"Sure. I'd love one."

Caroline shot Klaus a prompting look and he opened the door he'd come out of, gesturing vaguely to the interior. His polished wooden desk was at the center, papers spread out across the top with rows of numbers and corresponding dollar amounts, a closed laptop pushed to the side to make room for the inventory lists. She winced when she saw that the cream suede couch she'd picked to make her mid-day visits a bit more comfortable was currently a resting surface for what looked like at least ten sealed cardboard boxes, the floral-printed linen throw pillows she'd convinced him to add to give the room some color abandoned in the corner by the sleek stereo system. She glanced at Bonnie who was drinking it all in, her gaze focused on the shelf in the corner, which was stuffed with leather-bound books with unmarked spines, some space left for the box where he was keeping the wedding rings they'd picked out and two framed photographs. "My office," he said a bit unnecessarily, and Bonnie nodded.

"That's a really pretty photo of you, Care," she said, walking toward the shelf to look. It was a candid picture of her in profile wrapped in a blanket by the ocean. They had been sitting on a pier at the time. She'd insisted on watching the sunset while they were away from New York's bright lights and constant sound. She was staring into the distance in the frame, smiling slightly, and she remembered flinching at the click of his phone's camera and nearly falling into the water. To be fair, his apology for startling her had been more than worth it.

"It's from the cruise he took me on for my birthday," Caroline said.

"Yeah. I remember when you left. You were really happy."

"I still am," Caroline said, not meaning for her voice to be so hard but unable to push away the feeling that Bonnie might be gearing up to stage a friendtervention after the dinner was over.

Her worries eased a little when Bonnie winced. "I know. Sorry. I'm not trying to be rude or too suspicious. It really is nice to finally meet you," she said, looking a little sheepish. "I just really want Caroline to be happy, and when I hear that _you're_ the one she's dating. No offense, but-"

"I understand," Klaus interrupted, and Caroline was surprised to see him give Bonnie a smile back, even if it was a little bit strained. "I'm just as invested in Caroline's happiness and well-being as you are, if not more."

"Great! Something in common! You're bonding already."

"I don't _bond_ ," Klaus muttered somewhat petulantly, and Caroline and Bonnie looked at each other, both of them only semi-successfully holding back giggles. They moved out of his office and he led them a few feet down the hall, his palm pressed comfortably to the small of her back, and Bonnie broke the silence, clearly trying to keep the mood light.

"So, Klaus, Caroline told me that you do art?"

"I paint, yes. I have a studio here, actually," he said, hesitating before offering for them to take a look, and Bonnie nodded eagerly.

"Cool! I minored in art history. Any favorites?"

"What era? Contemporary or...?"

"Any, I guess."

"I'm rather fond of Dürer, myself."

"German renaissance right? The wood prints?" Bonnie asked, perking up, and Caroline mentally prepared herself for what would probably be an endless conversation about art. Though she'd never really had an appreciation for it other than how it influenced history and the aesthetics of the paintings, she loved listening to Klaus talk about something he was so passionate about. She could watch his face for hours as he talked about it. It was nice to see him so alive, and she knew how happy it made him to have someone to talk about it with. She hoped that it would help him and Bonnie be on good terms, if not tentative friends.

They lingered outside the studio door for awhile before he opened it, he and Bonnie in some sort of intense conversation about paintings in the era of the French Revolution, and she wasn't informed enough to be sure about whether it was an actual debate or just them both strongly expressing their opinions on the subject. She eventually cleared her throat pointedly when they seemed like they were at a good stopping point, and Klaus pressed a kiss to her temple in apology before unlocking his studio, opening the door for them.

"Wow," Bonnie muttered, glancing around. "These are actually good. You made it sound like you do it as a hobby."

"I do. I just have quite a bit of time when I'm not working."

"Working," Bonnie repeated slowly, glancing at the painting closest to them, which had a large white snowflake blowing in the breeze. "This is pretty."

Klaus hummed, muttering a thank you when Caroline shot him a raised eyebrow.

"You don't have to be so grumpy," Caroline muttered, tangling her fingers through his. "She just wants to get to know you."

"She could be a government spy sent to infiltrate my organization and get me convicted of at least fifteen different felonies," he muttered, rolling his eyes at her incredulous look. "Relax, sweetheart. I was joking."

"Were you though?"

"Yes. Mostly."

Caroline huffed, distracted by Bonnie's awkward squeak, and she looked up to see that Bonnie had found one of the paintings she'd sat for on one of their lazy Sunday afternoons in bed, the sheet crumpled around her thighs, hair spread across the pillows. "Klaus, you're supposed to put those away when you're not working on them!"

"Sorry, love. I was working on it earlier today when you texted me. I was originally planning on staying late so I went to get the rest of my work done and forgot to pack it up."

"You guys are so...weirdly normal," Bonnie said, looking anywhere but at the portrait behind her. "I'm going to be honest: I kind of expected severed heads and a closet full of torture devices."

"I'm afraid I keep such items in the basement. Best not to scare our guests," Klaus said, catching Caroline's arm when she tried to elbow him lightly in the side, pulling her palm up to kiss it before letting go.

"Weirdly normal _and_ gross. Cool," Bonnie said, pulling her phone out of her purse and frowning at it. "Enzo just texted me and told me that some Australian guy who looks like a hot serial killer turned up at his door and told him that they were late for dinner."

"Kol," Caroline said, trying as best she could to keep the disdain from bleeding into her voice.

"Does that mean we should head back to your place?"

"Sounds good."

 **XXX**

Caroline gave Bonnie and Enzo each one last hug, ordering Kol to make sure that they got back to their cars okay, threatening him with bodily harm if he failed this simple task (' _I know where Klaus keeps the high-quality guns'_ ). Once she closed the door gently behind their guests she turned to Klaus, practically vibrating with excitement. "So?"

"They were tolerable," Klaus said, sinking down on the couch and motioning her over. She glanced at the dirty dishes on the dining room table before deciding that it could wait, sinking down next to him and letting him pull her so that her legs were slung over his lap, her head resting against his shoulder.

"I'm glad you think so," Caroline said dryly. "Enzo and Bon are my best friends and it's _really important_ to me that you get along, okay?"

"So I gathered."

Caroline hummed, wriggling as Klaus found a ticklish spot on her hip with his thumb, slapping his hand away and glaring at him. "Hey!"

"Sorry, love," he said, not looking at all repentant, and she huffed, shifting to get more comfortable.

"Was it just me or was Kol being weird?"

"Weird how, sweetheart?"

"I don't know. Behaving himself? Not asking super inappropriate questions? He asked Bonnie to _please pass the butter_. I don't think I've ever seen him use appropriate table manners. I don't think I've even ever heard him use the word 'please'. He was seriously turning on the charm with Enzo, too."

"He might like them."

"I mean, I get the appeal. I love them too. I've just never seen him warm up to people that quickly."

"Romantically," Klaus added, his hand skating down her waist before he took her hand in threaded their fingers together, resting them on her thigh. She scoffed.

"Kol? Liking someone romantically? As if. How many one night stands has he had in the past month alone?"

"I don't know and I'd rather continue to not know. However, Kol does occasionally express a more than passing interest in certain people."

"Okay, but both?"

"I think you're being a little closed-minded, sweetheart," he said, and she wrinkled her nose.

"Okay, no offense but I don't want to think about my best friends having sex with a psychopath, whether it's both of them or just one."

She heard him chuckle, his lips pressing lightly against her cheek as he pulled her closer before he began to press light kisses to her neck. "Then don't."

She hummed, tipping her head to the side to allow him easier access to her sensitive skin, settling back against him. "Thank you for clearing out your schedule on such short notice. I know it was kind of sudden..."

"Of course, sweetheart. It was important to you."

She smiled widely and turned to catch his lips softly with hers in a tender kiss. "I love you."

"And I you, sweetheart. Speaking of..."

She pulled back to give him a suspicious look, not liking the smirk that was curling across his face. "What?"

"Where would you like me to whisk you away to, love?"

"What do you mean?"

"Our vacation. The one you promised me in exchange for me being so...accommodating," he said, his voice dropping on the last word into a low tone that made her shiver, his finger tracing her hipbone.

"Oh. Right. That," she said, her voice going a bit breathy as he trailed his fingertips down her inner thigh, watching her with rapt attention, cataloguing every reaction, every move she made. "Um...I like your summer house in the Hamptons."

"Our summer house, you mean?"

"Yes. _Our_ summer house," she amended impatiently. "We should go there. I like the pool."

"I wouldn't mind."

"You just want to see me in a bikini."

"Not at all. I like you better in nothing."

She snorted derisively, still unable to fight down the small smile at his blatant flirting.

He nipped her ear, sucking on the lobe lightly to soothe the sting as his hands traveled under the hem of her top, stroking her stomach. "The Hamptons then? Perhaps next weekend, if you're not too busy?"

He'd slipped his hand below the waistband of her jeans now, his pinky grazing her hip before he moved down to fiddle with the lace edge of her thong just shy of her clit, and she knew that if he was in this sort of mood she soon wouldn't be coherent enough to remember her calendar. "Yeah. That's...that's fine."

"Good. Now, as much as I've enjoyed dinner with your friends, I think I deserve some alone time with my fiance after enduring such a trial."

She sighed dramatically, pushing herself off of him and standing up, sweeping her hair over her shoulder. "Fine. If I have to."

"Well if you're that unwilling perhaps I'll just go to bed."

She was objecting before she realized it, her pussy aching enough from his little touches that she wanted release, and she tried not to flush at his cat-ate-the-canary grin at her protest.

"As the lady wishes, then."

* * *

Thanks for reading! Please let me know what you think. Favorite lines? Parts? Are you a fan of Enzo, Bonnie and Kol OT3? I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts! Feedback helps keep me motivated and makes me more inspired to write, so please help me stay in love with this fic :D


	8. Chapter 8

**Thank you to Kelly for beta work. I hope you all enjoy!**

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Caroline came back from taking Tyler on his morning walk to Kol sitting in her living room, helping himself to her stash of Girl Scout Cookies. She tried not to scowl-he had come to help, after all-but she couldn't help the uneasy feeling she got when he looked up, his eyes flicking over her with feigned disinterest, though she knew that he was cataloguing every move she made.

"You left your window open. Didn't my brother teach you better?"

"Hi to you too," she muttered, unclipping Tyler from his leash and not bothering to restrain him as he barreled toward Kol, clearly intent on licking his face. "Usually you ask before you eat people's food, you know."

"Shouldn't have left your window open so that I could help myself," he said, biting into another thin mint with exaggerated relish, his eyes closing, though he had to twist away a moment later as Tyler tried to snatch it out of his hand. "Perhaps you'd like to keep your mutt away from the food?"

"He's just being friendly," Caroline said, giving him her best innocent eyes. "I'm going to make tea. Do you want some?"

"Playing hostess suits you."

"No tea for you. Got it," she muttered. "Can you start brainstorming strategies to get your brother out of prison? There are notebooks and pens in the cabinet by the TV."

She stalked into the kitchen and flipped on the electric kettle without waiting for an answer, texting Bonnie and Enzo to ask them to come over as she waited for the water to heat up, keeping half an ear on Kol muttering to himself in the living room.

She didn't tell them the reason, since she doubted that neither Kol nor her chosen helpers would be all that thrilled by the rescue team she was assembling. Bonnie had assured her that they'd be over as soon as possible, and Caroline was rinsing out her mug to make a second cup when there was a knock on the door. "I'll get it," Caroline said, ignoring Kol pointing out that it was her apartment anyway so of course she would as she hurried to the front door, grabbing Tyler's collar to keep him from jumping on Bonnie in excitement.

"Hey," she said brightly, giving Enzo and Bonnie one-armed hugs. "Thanks so much for coming. So, please don't kill me, but we have another addition to Team Rescue Party."

She stepped aside to reveal Kol, and eyed her two best friends for reactions, trying not to wince when Enzo's eye twitched and Bonnie's hands curled into fists. "Oh, it's you," she muttered.

Caroline knew that it was a testament to the strength of their friendship that Bonnie didn't turn around and leave when she saw Kol's face. Enzo seemed to be less forgiving, making eye contact with Kol for a heated moment, his eyes narrowed, before turning to Caroline.

"So when you said 'I need help with a case' I'm going to assume you meant a case involving your wanker of an ex-fiancée, since you know better to think I'd ever directly help this..." he gestured towards Kol dismissively, and Caroline sighed.

"Yes. It's about Klaus."

"Oh my god, Care! Tell me you're not back together," Bonnie said immediately, and Caroline shrugged.

"I mean, not yet?"

"He _lied_ to you," Bonnie said, as though Caroline didn't already know, and Caroline watched silently as Enzo laid a hand on Bonnie's shoulder, squeezing it lightly.

"Caroline's an adult, love."

"Yeah, an adult making dumb decisions," Bonnie said, though the bite had left her tone, and she absently scratched Tyler behind the ears as he sat next to her, whining softly, his tail thumping on the floor.

Caroline glanced at Kol, who was watching Bonnie and Enzo with a mix of resentment and longing, and she felt compelled to break the moment. "So. Kol's coming up with possible strategies right now. I need one of you to stay here and help him and the other one to come to the station with me and be Klaus's lawyer."

"Those are our choices?" Enzo asked, his eyebrows raised. "Stay here with our psychopath ex-boyfriend or sign up to be the lawyer for _your_ psychopath ex-boyfriend?"

"Come on, darling. I'm not that bad."

"Don't call me that, mate. Do it again and I'll chop off your-"

"Okay, guess Enzo's going to be Klaus's lawyer then, since you two can't play nice," Caroline said quickly, and Kol scoffed.

"I can play nice. _He's_ the one who-"

"'You started it' is one of the most immature excuses in existence, Kol," Bonnie said tiredly, though she obligingly sank down at the kitchen table and reached for a pen before meeting Caroline's eyes. "I'm not going to lie, Care, this seems like a terrible idea. You sure you want to do this?"

"Yes," Caroline said without hesitation. "I love him, Bonnie."

There was a beat of silence before Bonnie nodded slowly, pulling over the list already holding Kol's messy scrawl and giving it a cursory glance. "Okay, well, keep us texted with updates."

"Will do."

"Best get going then, gorgeous," Enzo said, stuffing his hands in the pockets of his leather jacket. "Time's a-ticking."

"You guys going to be okay here?" Caroline asked as she pulled on her jacket, looking at Bonnie and Kol.

"I can handle him," Bonnie said dryly, and Kol shifted. Caroline could almost trace the path of his thoughts as he resisted the impulse to make a filthy joke using the opening Bonnie gave him, instead leaning back in his seat and glaring at the ceiling.

"Go on, darling."

"I _told you—"_

"I was talking to Caroline, you idiot. Clearly not being with me has dropped your IQ by—"

"Okay, we're off," Caroline said quickly, grabbing Enzo by the arm and dragging him to the door of the apartment. "See you later!"

"Bye, Care," Bonnie said absently, already scratching notes in the margins of Kol's list.

Enzo followed her down the hall in silence, though she could practically feel the irritation rolling off of him, making the hair on the back of her neck stand up. It took longer for him to crack than she'd expected.

"So that's it, then?"

Caroline took a deep breath, knowing that the more defensive she sounded the more Enzo would push. "What's 'it'?"

"You're back together with that tosser."

"First of all, Klaus isn't a 'tosser'," she said, using air quotes and knowing that the word sounded incredibly weird coming out of her mouth. "I mean, he's definitely not nice and has questionable judgment and kind of a short fuse, but he's never that way with me."

Enzo raised his eyebrows at her as he moved past her to open the door, holding it for her as she walked through. "Did you look in the mirror that night? You were a right mess."

"Thanks, Enzo," she said dryly, unlocking her car and glaring at him as she climbed in, slamming the door in his face. She waited for him to walk around the other side, staring determinedly through the windshield.

"You cried so hard your face went dry," Enzo pointed out as he got in, putting on his seatbelt. "You still won't tell me what he said-"

"And I'm not going to," she interrupted, sticking the key in the ignition, and Enzo spoke loudly to be heard over the engine.

"He hurt you."

She huffed, trying not to snap at him that he had no idea what he was talking about.

"He did," she finally agreed, her voice shaking with the effort it took not to raise it. "But I forgave him. I know it seems like a bad choice now, and you have my full permission to say I told you so if it goes badly, but...my gut is telling me that this is the way to go. Okay?"

"Your gut is an idiot."

She rolled her eyes so hard that it almost hurt as she pulled out of her parking space, trying to remind herself that he was just concerned and not to get too mad, and pulled out of the lot to head towards the police station.

The drive felt like it took forever even though it was only about ten minutes, the silence heavy and awkward. Caroline's fingernails drummed against the wheel at red lights as Enzo made soft huffs of annoyance at seemingly random intervals, and she was ready to bolt as soon as she put the car in park, but Enzo's hand on her arm stopped her.

"What?" she asked irritably, turning to glare at him.

"You honestly think this is a good idea?"

The words would have dripped with condescension or incredulous disgust from anyone else, but Enzo somehow made them sound genuinely curious rather than judgmental. Her shoulders slumped.

"I don't know," she said softly. "But I want to believe it is. Klaus makes me happy, Enzo. He really, _really_ does. I don't want to say that I need him in my life to be happy, because I don't, but he definitely helps. The last few days...I didn't realize how much I missed him."

"Caroline..."

She gave him an imploring look, the kind that had gotten her free coffee when he'd worked at Starbucks over the summer between their first and second year of law school and that'd made him give in to countless dumb excursions she and Bonnie had dragged him on. He sighed, averting his eyes, though his face softened.

"I love him," she said finally. "I know that just because I love him doesn't mean that I have to be with him, or even that it's a good idea to be with him, but Klaus...he makes me feel safe. And wanted. I trust him."

"Even after he lied to you?" Enzo asked, though he sounded more resigned to playing devil's advocate than annoyed at this point.

She bit her lip. "I mean, he did lie to me, but I also was letting my insecurity take over and didn't tell him. It wasn't the greatest combination."

This time Enzo did look exasperated. "Are you honestly saying that him not telling you that you were getting elaborate death threats is your fault? He's getting inside your head, gorgeous-"

"I know it's not my fault," she said, annoyed that they seemed to be back to square one. "I'm just saying that it wouldn't have been as big of a deal if I hadn't been looking for reasons to be scared."

"Maybe that was your so-called 'gut' telling you to run."

She snorted. "My 'so-called gut'? Really, Enzo?"

"Look, all I'm saying-"

"You're saying that you're concerned," she interrupted, reaching to lay her hand on top of his. "You're my best friend and you want what's best for me. I get it. You don't have to be thrilled about this, or think it's a good idea. You don't even have to have him over for Sunday brunch or pretend to like him. I just want you to help him for me. Just this once. After that, you can go back to glaring at him silently over your coffee when you sleep over and loudly talking about how art is basically just five thousand portraits of Jesus that all look the same and you don't know why anyone thinks it's interesting until Bonnie slaps duct tape over your mouth."

He sighed melodramatically, looking up at the ceiling of the car as though hoping for the hand of god to come down and knock some sense into her. "I am concerned, I don't like him and never will, and I maintain that art is, in fact, five thousand portraits of Jesus that all look the same. But if you _honestly_ think he'll make you happy-"

"I honestly do," she said, her voice firm.

He nodded once, his lips quirking in what she knew was his attempt at an encouraging smile. "Then I'll help."

"And help me convince Bonnie that I'm not making a terrible life choice that will end with burying my cold corpse?"

"I didn't say that," he said immediately, pushing his door open. "You're on your own with Bon, gorgeous. Even I'm not stupid enough to try to convince her that the rock he put on your finger should go anywhere but ebay."

"Ha," Caroline muttered, getting out and closing the door. "You're super supportive, you know that?"

"I'm about to get your fiancée out of prison. You should be a little nicer."

Caroline huffed but conceded the point, following him through the parking lot to the doors of the police station and then to the receptionist's desk.

"I'd like to speak with my client, please."

"Who's your client?" the receptionist asked, her bright red nails tapping against the desktop.

"Klaus Mikaelson."

The receptionist looked up at him with clear distaste but nodded, reaching for the phone on the counter and pressing a few buttons, balancing it between her shoulder and her ear. "Hey. That guy who handled the Qetsiyah case—"

"Lorenzo St. John," Enzo supplied with a smile that was all teeth.

"Lorenzo St. John," the receptionist repeated, "is here to meet with Mikaelson. He says Mikaelson's his client."

Caroline watched the receptionist as she listened to the person at the other end of the line before 'mmhm'ing and setting the receiver back down. "Take a seat. The Sheriff will come get you to take you back to the interrogation room," she said before turning to Caroline. "What can I do for you?"

"She's sitting in on the meeting."

"Is Mikaelson also her client?"

"No," Caroline said. "But he'll be fine with it."

"Sorry. Only counsel are allowed with the criminals."

" _Alleged_ criminals," Enzo growled, and Caroline gave him silent props for committing even though he hated Klaus.

"Right. _Alleged_ ," the receptionist drawled. "Like we don't all know he's a mob boss."

"Perhaps you aren't aware of the concept of Due Process, but my client is considered innocent unless it can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt that he's committed these alleged 'crimes'," Enzo said, his tone dripping with condescension.

The receptionist bristled. "Whatever. Anyway, you can take a seat in the—"

She was interrupted by the Sheriff, who entered the room and nodded at Enzo. "St. John, you can come back. We've escorted your client to a conference room, where you're free to consult with him before the interrogation."

"Thank you," Enzo said stiffly. "We'll most likely only take a few minutes. Please get Caroline situated in the area behind the one-way mirror so that she can watch and take notes."

He glanced at Caroline with intense dislike, and she stiffened. He hadn't used to not like her, but if the Sheriff thought that Klaus had killed his daughter, it was entirely possible that he hated her by extension.

Whoops.

"Only counsel and employees—"

"Mr. Mikaelson will be happy to sign a release form if necessary. For now I suggest you cooperate."

"Is that a threat?"

Enzo's eyes widened with mock innocence. "A threat? Absolutely not. I simply want to make sure there aren't any misunderstandings."

The Sheriff and Enzo stared each other down with intense dislike, and the officer finally relented, jerking his head at the door that led to the offices. "Follow me. Both of you," he said gruffly, walking off without another word.

Caroline was soon situated with the police officers that used to be her friends who now looked at her with wariness. Only Matt was even the slightest bit warm with her, and she knew it was because they'd known each other since they were children. She accepted the styrofoam cup of coffee gratefully, her heart warming a bit when she realized that he remembered how she took it, and they made small talk for awhile as they waited for the interrogation to start.

She noticed that Matt carefully avoided talking about anything related to Klaus or his arrest, instead settling on talking about and exchanging pictures of their dogs, a relatively safe subject. She'd just shown Matt a long string of pictures of a disgruntled Tyler forced into a Christmas sweater when the door to the room on the other side of the mirror opened and Klaus stepped through, sitting down in a chair by the table and leaning back, his boots resting on the table. Enzo sat down beside him, his expression blank, eyes calculating. Caroline was surprised when the officer who followed them in wasn't the Sheriff, though it was possible that he'd been deemed to have a conflict of interest. He set a manila folder he was carrying on the desk and sat down, pulling out what looked like some forms and clicking his pen.

"Name?"

"Klaus Mikaelson," Klaus drawled, steepling his fingers to keep them from twitching. He liked to fiddle with things when he spoke, and she could tell that he was itching to grab Enzo's pen and twirl it between his fingers.

"Full name," the officer said dryly.

"Niklaus Ansel Mikaelson."

"Age?"

"Twenty-nine."

"Where were you the night Aurora de Martel was murdered?"

"You'll have to be a bit more specific, mate. I haven't seen anything in the news."

"Last Monday."

"I dropped by my casino around eight, stayed for a bit, and then went to a bar with some friends."

"Do you remember what time?"

"I don't recall," Klaus drawled.

"Do you remember who you were with?"

"Marcellus Gerard, Joshua Rosza, and his boyfriend Aiden. I don't recall his last name."

"And what did you do at the bar?"

"They had a few drinks."

"Anything else?"

Klaus shrugged.

"A verbal answer, please."

"I don't recall doing anything other than that before going home."

"Did you get drunk?"

"No."

"You said you went out for drinks."

"I don't drink."

The officer sighed. "Fine. Where did you go after you went to the bar?"

"My ex-fiance's office."

Caroline winced as Matt looked at her, an eyebrow raised. "He came to you after he murdered Aurora?" Matt hissed. "Why didn't you call the police?"

"He didn't murder Aurora," she whispered, resisting an urge to tack on 'you idiot'.

"You don't actually think that, right?"

"I believe him," Caroline said stubbornly, and Matt gave her a pitying look before looking back at the interrogation room.

"Your ex-fiance?"

"Yes."

"Who's your ex-fiance?"

"Caroline Forbes."

"Why did you go to her office?"

"I missed her," Klaus said airily, picking a bit of dirt out from underneath his fingernail.

"Did she want to see you?"

"Irrelevant," Enzo growled. "Do stay on-topic, Adams. My client's a busy man."

Deputy Adams looked like he was going to argue for a second before thinking better of it. "If she took the stand would she back up your story?"

"It's not a story," Klaus growled. "It's true. And as the alternative would be perjuring herself, yes, I believe she would."

"So you weren't at the hotel that night?"

"Not that I recall," Klaus said dryly.

"Why do we have video footage of you being at the hotel, then?"

"Don't answer that," Enzo said immediately.

Deputy Adams smirked. "Why can't he answer it? If he's innocent he should have a reason."

"I don't recall being at the hotel," Klaus cut in firmly. "Any other questions, officer? Or can I go enjoy my afternoon with Caroline?"

She felt her cheeks heat at the innuendo dripping from his voice. God, that was mortifying. Did he have to announce to the entire world that he wanted to have sex with her and she would 100% let him? Was that really necessary? Then again, Klaus had never been shy about wanting her, even if he wasn't comfortable displaying his feelings. Still. Rude.

She glanced down when her phone buzzed and picked it up, swiping immediately when she saw three texts from Bonnie.

[Bonnie]: We have a few ideas.

[Bonnie]: Both about how to prove that Klaus is innocent and also how to convince you not to date him again.

[Bonnie]: Kol is surprisingly anti-Klaroline.

[Caroline]: Are you sure it's not because he wants to get on your good side?

[Bonnie]: Oh it absolutely is. He's not subtle.

[Bonnie]: But I, unlike you, have moved past having awful taste in men.

[Caroline]: We'll talk in-person later. I'm watching Enzo work his magic right now.

[Bonnie]: It's really hot isn't it?

[Caroline]: BONNIE YOU'RE SO GROSS

[Caroline]: HE'S MY BEST FRIENDDDDD

[Bonnie]: Right, but he's objectively hot.

[Caroline]: STOPPP

[Bonnie]: Kol is soo right to miss us. I do not blame him.

Caroline sent a string of puking emojis before silencing her phone and stuffing it in her bag, turning back to see Enzo talking, his voice light.

"Unless you're willing to produce this alleged evidence, you have no choice but to let my client go. Caroline and the people he went to the bar with can verify his alibi. Miss de Martel was the daughter of the Sheriff. I'm sure there are lots of people who'd like to hurt him that you could investigate."

"Are you saying Mr. Mikaelson wants to hurt the Sheriff?"

Enzo gave the deputy a smile that was all teeth. "Anyone who's spoken more than five words to the man wants to hurt him. He's not exactly endearing. Now, I'll be escorting my client home unless you have more of this alleged 'evidence'."

The police officer gave Enzo what could only be described as a shit-eating grin. "We do, actually. Take a seat."

Caroline bit her lip as Deputy Adams opened the folder he'd come in with and removed a piece of paper, the bottom ripped off, stained with bits of blood. "Read that. Aloud."

Klaus took it, glancing down at it, and Caroline's stomach twisted at the flash of surprise that crossed his face before he masked it. He cleared his throat.

"I'm sure you know what happens to those who cross me, Sheriff. I may have taken a liking to your daughter, but my protection does not extend to you. I suggest you drop your investigation into my activities immediately."

Caroline felt nausea build in her stomach. She desperately wanted to walk into that room and explain that this was all a complete misunderstanding, but she knew that she couldn't without implicating both herself and Klaus in an entirely different murder.

"Is that your only evidence? An unsigned death threat?" Enzo asked, an eyebrow raised.

"In his handwriting."

"Analyzing matches in handwriting is pseudoscience. Try again."

"The blood is Aurora's."

"Again, that doesn't implicate my client."

Caroline's hands shook as she closed her eyes, her throat tightening.

"He's Miss de Martel's only relationship that lasted longer than a few weeks in the past three years. That narrows it down, doesn't it?"

"Speculation," Enzo bit out, even as Klaus scoffed.

"And what's your evidence for that, exactly? Do you honestly think her father knows about every escapade she's had?"

"Be quiet," Enzo said harshly, glaring at Klaus, who raised an eyebrow, his lips twitching, before he turned to Deputy Adams.

"I appreciate your amateur sleuthing, but I'm afraid that I had no part in writing that note. Though, if you're interested, I do know exactly who did."

The policeman looked intrigued, Enzo sighed long-sufferingly, and Caroline dug in her bag for her phone, pulling it out.

[Bonnie]: Heyy I was just teasing.

[Bonnie]: Wow. Silent treatment. Super mature.

[Bonnie]: Just so you know, I have joined Kol in eating your girl scout cookies. I hope you're okay with being out of Tagalongs.

[Caroline]: Bonnie, we have a problem.

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Thank you for reading! Please let me know what you thought in a review! Do you have any favorite parts or lines? Any constructive criticism? I'd love to hear what you think! Reviews give me inspiration to write, and I love every single one!


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